What is now?

For the past 6 months I have not been working and have taken some time off. What that's ended up looking like is well represented by the title of this bog, Tea and Knitting. As if I need an exuse for either.

But, now I find myself ready, or rather forced to go back to work. you'd think I would have started this blog sometime earlier in this 6 month period. What I sort of think about this is that I often need time to see the landscape of my life. The boat needs to drift for a while. I now think and feel that I don't want to let this time go unexamined and unexpressed. It's been rich in many ways and has taught me great lessons.

It's now that I also realize that I've been very out of touch with people in my life and that this might be an interesting way to create a commitment to connect. Oh, I'll write about more than just knitting and tea. For instance, a favorite book of mine talks about "taking tea by the fire." The fire in this case representing our difficulties, our "hell", our struggle. Just that is plenty of fodder for writing as far as I'm concerned. Another favorite quote from this book, Steven Levine's "Healing into Life and Death" is "I make a cup of tea and stop the war." I think that when we are truly knitting or making a cup of tea, we cannot make war. We are in the moment and there is no room for anything else. Come to think of it though, there can be an awful lof of knocking on the door of that room.

So, are you getting the feeling that Zen figures in here somewhere? Yes, and in quite a big way.

So, those of you who know me well, are hearing my voice right now. And, those of you who do not know me so well are perhaps hearing my voice for the first time....