The Family Afghan

One of my current projects is an afghan. I like the pattern because it’s easy to do and doesn’t involve any counting of stitches. I can watch television and keep my hands moving, or work on it while I’m talking to people. It gives me something to do while I’m waiting in a doctor’s office, or riding in a car. It’s kind of a “no-brainer” project that allows me to sit and observe without feeling guilty about being unproductive.

This weekend I went with my daughters and my mom to a family gathering. The trip was a ten-hour ride each way. Since my children are both convinced that I’m going senile, I didn’t have to do much of the driving. So my afghan grew quite a bit on the drive there. We spent a lot of time together, and my afghan grew some more. And while the girls and I discussed our favorite and not-so-favorite parts of the trip it grew again.

As I sat with my family, reconnecting with those whom I don’t see very often, I felt our bonds strengthening. I saw the thread of our shared past intertwine with the new experiences and become something unique. The addition of new family members, new friends and acquaintances, new places, all add on to my family afghan and make it grow. They all make for a beautiful new product - the extended family. The pattern is easy, and doesn’t take any concentration or counting. It’s a “no brainer”, like my knitting project.

My wool afghan grows when I sit and let my hands work while my eyes and ears observe. My family afghan grows the same way. Who knows what it will look like when it’s done? No one but the Almighty. But if I keep working at it by simply being there, watching, observing, and keeping my hands busy, I know it will be wonderful.