Ceremony

 

One more towel and I will cut off, cut/serge, run through the washer/dryer and then hem - the first 8 towels.

Some weavers have a cutting off  'ceremony'.  I never bothered, although I certainly see why someone would want to.  Ringing a bell, having a glass of wine, whatever.  My 'ceremony' was more a sense of satisfaction that that one was done - because I was already thinking about the next one, or three - or more - that were in the pipeline.

Human beings tend to look for reasons for things.  Sometimes we can figure those out.  Sometimes, though?  It remains a mystery.

As I approach the halfway mark of this warp, I am already working on the next ones.  Each of them is proving to be a bit of a challenge because I am working only from my stash.  As stash reduces, choices diminish.  This forces me to reach further and further outside of my comfort zone.

This stretching of my creativity is a good thing.  I admit to a certain level of complacency over the years.  To now push myself to work outside of my comfort level, even if it is just within my colour choices, is positive, even if uncomfortable.

But ceremony is a very human thing.  We mark anniversaries of various kinds.  We acknowledge  milestones.  There are societal ceremonies, cultural ceremonies, familial ceremonies, personal ceremonies.

And perhaps that is what has been the hardest to deal with in this pandemic times - being thwarted in our 'normal' ceremonies that mark special occasions, special achievements.  If someone has never been denied or thwarted in this kind of thing, it must seem horrible, unbearable.  The concept of a 'movable feast' is new to them.

With the disruption to human activities, we may find ourselves coming up with different ceremonies.  We may find that we are more resilient than we thought.  We may find new ways to be, to act, going forward.

This morning we have warmer temperatures and sun.  The predicted snow for this week seems to have dissipated.  We are now halfway through February and winter is not necessarily over.  But for today I will enjoy the sun.  And reaching the halfway point in the current warp.