Why knitting is good for my soul

As improbable as it is, I've gone to a class to learn to knit for the last 2 weeks. My mom wanted to go, and asked me to come along. She already knew how to knit, having learned from books, but wanted to be taught properly and ask a few questions. I barely knew what a knitting needle looked like. The classes were on Wednesdays, which worked out because Josh had choir practice Wednesdays and I had nothing better to do.

Between the two classes, I discovered a few reasons this humble hobby might be good for me:

• Knitting makes me sit still. Sitting still is something I am not good about doing. I barely will sit down and watch a movie with my husband, because the 800 other things I ought to be doing are concurrently flying through my head, and I can't bear to stay on the couch when there's work to be done. Last week I sat still and knit while we watched a movie. I was still and knit while Josh read, or looked on the computer. In the past, I would be flitting around during these times, worrying more than I ought, and not spending quality time with my husband.


• Knitting makes me learn. Most of the things I try, I already know. This was something totally new and different. I was starting from scratch, which is something that is somewhat scary for me, and good for my soul, because I am humbled. I'm reminded I don't know it all.


• Knitting gets me away from a screen. I work on a computer 8+ hours every day, then come home and look at it some more. I don't think we were meant to have a two-dimensional life, albeit my profession. Working with my hands is good for me.


• Knitting gives me a quiet time. Because I'm not good at it yet, I have to sit and knit and concentrate. Not concentrate hard, like I do at work, but pay attention to what I'm doing. I discovered I can't chat and knit at the same time - I forget what I'm in the middle of and make a mess of things. I can listen, though. And pray. And think. This quiet time lets me process things that I would otherwise push to the back of my mind. Time to think is good for me.


• Knitting is another outlet of my creativity I never knew I had much creativity. I mean, I'd do craft projects at school, but mostly I'd play on computers or play basketball. I had no interest in coloring or drawing or dance. My ceramics class in high school was fun, but I only took it because I had to, at the last moment I could senior year. At some point early in college, I felt like I had permission to be something more than logical and practical. I felt like I was finally allowed to be creative, think outside the box and explore the arts. I started blogging, which, although I don't write creative short stories on here or anything, I felt like this was a creative, thoughtful outlet. I discovered photography and started playing with that. Now knitting- an art that I can explore and learn like these others. (Speaking of photography, I'm a fan of the picture I took above with my new camera of last night's knitting project. I thought it turned out well. Hopefully the project will look as good.)

All that to say, I'm not good at this yet. And who knows if I'll stick with it. But it's a good thing to do for me, for now. My soul needs it.