Beginnings, Endings

 

Over the years I've learned that for every ending, there is a beginning.

And so I am poised at the 'end' of my teaching in person part of my life, and looking forward to what comes next.

What is new is that I won't be teaching in person anymore.

And that leaves me with 'feelings'.

It's hard to say goodbye to something you enjoy doing, but standing up for 2 or 3 or 5 days pouring out the contents of my brain to students - in person - just isn't going to be something I can do.

People say to me that 'you're only as old as you feel!'.

Well, my dears, the last few years have been the worst roller coaster ride ever, and I'm feeling every one of my years.

And it's fine.  I've lived longer than my father and brother, and many of my cousins.  The fact that I've lived a life of physical effort (you don't weave yards of cloth every day without breaking a sweat - just saying) and - dare I say it - accomplishment - means that I'm ok with paring some things from my life.

When I say 'accomplishment' I'm not talking about awards or accolades, but in other things, things that are less inclined to be counted, as it were.

And, while I have received awards, I never did anything I have done *in order to receive an award*, contrary to what some people have assumed.  (Someone told me that I was doing X in order to beef up my resume.  Since I stopped updating my resume years before that comment, I found it irritating, in an amusing way.)

While I have never done anything primarily to receive recognition, I gotta tell ya, having people tell me that they have been helped because of a workshop I taught, or an article I wrote, or an online class?  Priceless.

Just this morning someone commented that taking the sectional beaming workshop on SOS has already helped them enormously - another commented that they were already spotting things in their own methods they could adjust to get better results.

And that is why I will continue to do the zoom presentations whenever I can.  If I can't be there in person, I can still help.

But I also recognize that not everyone will find 'my' methods helpful.  A discussion on threading showcased that people with different looms and physiques don't feel that the way I thread will be helpful to them.  And that is perfectly valid.  I am tall with a long wingspan.  My loom is different from theirs.  They routinely do different kinds of threadings that what I do.

Everyone must find their *best* practice, given their differences.  

But if someone is finding weaving difficult, or frustrating, or irritating, my suggestion is to look at what I do.  If what I do isn't what they need, look at what other 'expert' weavers do.  Try this, that, the other thing.

But weaving doesn't have to be frustrating, irritating, inefficient.

Stay open to new ideas.  Be willing to learn.  Keep an open mind.  Because you never know when a door will open and light will shine in, bringing a new beginning.

Books

Textiles, Weave a V and two signed copies of Stories from the Matrix here

Signed copies of The Intentional Weaver here