Attitudes

 

For most of my life I have lived with inclusivity.  I choose to help people, as much as I can.  Sometimes I have the resources to help more, sometimes less.  

If that makes me 'woke', then I will wear that label.  But I don't declare that I am an ally because I feel the people who need support have to choose who they trust, who they consider a friend...an ally.

Because sometimes I come up against my reality bubble.  And I forget that my reality is not another person's.

I'd like to think that - in the same way as I consider weaving is fraught with 'it depends' scenarios - life is, too.

It's one reason why, I think, that fairy tales have so many stories featuring textiles as part of the story - Sleeping Beauty pricking her finger on the spindle, Rumplestiltskin furiously spinning flax into gold, The Swan Princes - which is really about their sister, harvesting, processing, spinning and weaving magical shirts to turn her brothers back into humans after being magically turned into swans.

And so many more.

We can learn so many lessons via the craft of weaving.  (Probably through other crafts, as well, but weaving is what I know.)

It depends.  If you can't be perfect, be consistent.  Embrace the transformations that are necessary to reach a 'finished' state.

Etc.

I'm living with all sorts of challenges right now, and it is very easy to lose sight of the benefits of living to this age.  I have lived a life of 'heavy' work (If you have never woven like a production weaver, you don't really know how *much* labour is involved.)  The problem of remembering what I used to be able to do, and adapting to how much less that is now, is a difficult transition.  But I'm working on it.

Changing my attitude is the hardest thing!  Letting go of what has already left.  Embracing what I *can* do instead of kicking the baseboards over what I cannot.  

This latest, um, challenge? - has been incredibly difficult to face.  I'm glad I had the opportunity to talk to the surgeon, who gave me the attitude I need to hold onto - that most people have a much more challenging prognosis that I have been given.

I think the biggest benefit this 'fall' has been the attitude adjustment.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not entirely there - yet!  But I am working on it.  And as I work on it, I become more 'woke' (if you will) about the challenges that people who are wheelchair users, or have difficulty walking.  I am making progress, but I also have the damage to my spine/lower back.  

So, I keep going, to the best of my ability, to not only see others with my type of physical challenges, but ultimately to realize that *everyone* has challenges of one kind or another.

Ultimately I hope that I will be aware of those beyond just me, to others in society dealing with things - things I may not understand, or have personal experience with.  But challenges, nonetheless.

If that makes me 'woke', I will wear that label.