Finite Life, Infinite Possibilities

I turned 60 years old in 2018, and while I am blessed with good health and a fulfilling life, I have begun to wrestle a bit with the finite nature of existence. While I intend to travel as much as I can, there are probably places that I want to visit that I will not get to. And there are definitely places that I want to revisit before I die -- New Orleans, London, Jerusalem, and San Francisco to name just a few.

And so it is with handmade objects. Having a needlework shop is both a good thing and a curse. Sometimes I don't want to sell things because I want to keep them and do them myself. And there are so many new things I want to try! Bobbin lace is high on my list of new adventures for 2020.

The nature of handmade objects is that they are often time-consuming, thus working against the limitations of our finite lives. But handmade objects are also a kind of eternity, a way of extending our legacy to others. If we have found a skill that we love, we can teach that to someone else. In that way, we can extend a skill for many generations into the future. And some of those handmade objects will reflect our lives when our physical presence is erased.

Additionally, the creations that we craft and give to others represent relationships, connections, and special moments. Christmas stockings are part of my personal legacy to my family and friends. I have created nearly two dozen stockings thus far, and I don't plan to slow down on those anytime soon.