Learning Something New
It was a cold night, late in fall or early winter. We all sat in the "Sunday room" together, each in our own cozy spots around the fire. My girlfriend sat in the corner with her knitting needles and a blanket. The metal needles clacked against each other as she moved rhythmically through the motions. I watched, as mesmerized by the flow of it as I was by the fire in the fireplace. "I always wished I could learn to knit," I said. She looked up, smiled, and said, "I will teach you." That night, she gave me the basics: a pair of straight long needles, hemp yarn from her basket, and the how-to of the knit stitch. I awkwardly practiced the stitch over and over, my elbows stuck out to the sides, twisting my fingers and sticking my tongue out while I tried to learn this new thing. She gave me tips while I sat near her and reminded me that with time, I would naturally find comfortable ways to hold the yarn and keep a steady tension. It was months before I finishe