Visioning My Own 2008 Plans...

It's funny. I have been working on my thoughts for this post for several days, reading what others are thinking about, reviewing where I stand on things, determining those things I think I need to change...

Changes like:
1. Reducing my carbon footprint, my environmental impact (see the banners above) - committing to a more environmentally friendly way to live...

2. Re-committing to Voluntary Simplicity - "less is more" philosophy - tightening up the financial portfolio, using what I have, making do, simplifying, streamlining, etc., etc...

3. Opening to Grace and using "Abundance Thinking" - I enjoyed reading this post: from Jocelyn - and thinking about my private spirituality and commitments...

4. Silencing the cacophony - because I was totally inspired by Pumpkinknitter's post about silence, not just one night a year (so much so that the cell phone and TV are going to be turned off a lot in 2008). I think by the end of the holiday season, all of us have our nerves on edge, it's just been too much of everything...

5. Of course, I've already committed to knitting for peace, and the events in Pakistan yesterday only made me that much more resolved to do so...

Still, there's this part of me that is nagging away, at the back of my brain. It's the part that says "yah, yah, yah...every year, you do this every year - and so does everyone else - just where do you think you'll be in 2 months with this process?"

Well. Touche. The skeptic that's back there at the back of my brain, also said I'd never quit smoking. But I did. It'll soon be 4 years, and I'm never going back - no, this time I can say "NEVERMORE." And know I mean that.

But I can say that even 2 months of making these changes, even if they don't last, will make a difference. I do believe that having ideals, making plans (or resolutions if you call them that), organizing, de-cluttering, reducing, reusing, recycling, trying to make my carbon footprint smaller, creating silence, and especially working for peace, making space for meditation - in the form of knitting, mostly - all of this affects my state of mind positively, and thus the state of mind of those around me.

It IS, as Margene says, all about the process...If we cycle thru these changes, succeeding and failing and succeeding again...the perpetual movement forward is what counts, the falling back just helps us regroup, to go forward again (BTW, I believe that theory is from Camus, if my memory serves).

At any rate, giving up is not an option. We must continue to strive.

Benazir Bhutto knew that, as surely as she had to know she was signing her death sentence when she returned to Pakistan. Still...we have to work for peace, for change, on a micro scale as well as a macro one...

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."—Margaret Mead

The Spirit of the Season

Very shortly now, it will be Christmas Eve. This is the season of light, when we strive to remember that we are all in this together, and that there is more to this than who can rack up the most of the newest gifts to show off.

Depending on your religious persuasion, it may also be a time when we recognize a critical moment in a belief system: the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Or perhaps you are celebrating the end of the long, dark season, recognizing that now we truly are turning again toward the light, and preparing for new beginnings, as Dave said so beautifully the other day.

Some of us are trying to work for peace in the new year, a new beginning in my mind.

My projects, both knitting and writing, will be focused on peace. I won't be abandoning my work, or my business, but my "ME" time will be centered on thinking, praying, meditating, knitting, being peace.

And this Christmas song serendipitously appeared on the radio today just as I was thinking some of this through, so I thought I'd include my favorite stanza here:

Let peace begin with me
Let this be the moment now.
With every step I take
Let this be my solemn vow.
To take each moment
And live each moment
With peace eternally.
Let there be peace on earth,
And let it begin with me.

Because you know what? It truly ALL does begin with me (and with you).

I challenge you to think about how you will incorporate such peace work in your life in 2008.
(((hugs)))

A 2008 Project for Peace

Birdsong and I have been talking recently about wanting to make 2008 our year to knit and work for peace in whatever way we can. So what serendipity that she discovered this:



The TikkunTree Project
and blogged about it. As usual, Birdsong leads me to wondrous things (she and I are convinced we're sisters from different mothers...all across the country from each other - on the two coasts).

Besides the fact that I adore Peace Fleece yarns, I am very committed to the idea of and philosophy behind this project. I'm ordering my yarns, and getting the patterns ready. (Patterns & specifications are available on each link)

I firmly believe that knitting for peace is an effective means of being a change-agent in the world. As is creating art installations that address peace. I seldom speak of my religious leanings or beliefs on my blogs, but the idea of knitting in silence, meditating on peace and speaking out as the spirit moves, harkens back to my Universalist/Quaker/Congregationalist New England family roots. As such, it blends well with my study of Buddhism, and Taoist thought, as well as my feminist/womanist/goddess thealogy.

While I'll still participate in (and co-lead) Cloths for Crisis and Knit Red for Women's Heart Disease, this project will hold the majority of my charity knitting energy for the 2008 year.

If we can't find it in our hearts to live, eat, breathe, and pray PEACE, then we can't be surprised if it fails us. Anger and war, hatred and fear, begin in the hearts of each of us. Won't you join us? Take up your needles to help heal* the world?

* Tikkun is Hebrew for healing

Grace! Nana's Newest Slip of a Bag!

A sassy, spirited little bag that you’ll grab again and again, especially when you need your hands free for other things! She’s a small backpack that holds more than you might think, with two interior pockets for tucking in a cell phone and such.

Here are two samples to get your own creative juices flowing:

Ears N Whiskers Grace:


Skulls and Roses Grace:


Named in honor of another of my aunts, Grace is available by custom order only. Please visit Nana Sadie Rose today!

Grace...

The newest in my line of bags, will debut on December 11....

Don't miss it!