Day 12... the language of peace

by Christina

“Language is the dwelling place of ideas that do not exist anywhere else. It is a prism through which to see the world.”
— Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass

In an 8th grade English class, our teacher informed us we would have a “spelling bee” of sorts. Instead of words to spell, we would need to state a preposition; if you couldn’t think of one, you were out. The list of possible choices were long... perhaps 50 of them? I dutifully memorized the list and the handy template to “check” if the word was indeed a preposition.

“A preposition is a word that shows a relationship between a noun or pronoun and some other word.”
— Javatpoint

Walls, Shetland, UK. July 2023

The rabbit jumps _____ the fence.

over, around, between, to, from, for, with…

Around the room we went, until one other child and I remained. Billy stated the last word on the list.

My cheeks turned bright red. What was I to say except “there are no words left on the list.”

The teacher in all her (inappropriate) wisdom said “well, the world is filled with more prepositions than the words on that page, use the template and think of one.”

???

I could not. I “lost” and Billy got the award.

Perhaps it was that day in the school that sparked an interest in grammar and language… it certainly left an impression in more ways than one.

I know, you are asking, “what does this have to do with peace?”

I walk ____ peace.

What happens to the meaning of this sentence when we change the preposition?

I walk for peace. I walk with peace. I walk towards peace. I walk against peace. I walk under peace. I walk over peace. I walk around peace. I walk between peace. I walk on peace.

Or let’s try this…

pathways to peace… pathways for peace… pathways of peace

“to” implies peace as a destination,

whereas “for” infers that peace is a cause,

yet “of” reflects a process, the here and now.

Just changing that one wee word shifts our relationship with peace. I find this fascinating… and while many think it’s an irrelevant detail, I think it speaks to the heart of the matter. Just one preposition allows our relationship to evolve from thinking of peace as a product/outcome to peace as a process. Just one word. And the funny thing is that the definition of a preposition includes the word “relationship.”

Shetland, UK

Peace nugget #12

Write a sentence using the “preposition” template. I used the example of walking ___ peace. Perhaps you’d like to use, I knit ____ peace.

Make this your personal peace statement. Now, insert many different prepositions and see how the meaning of the sentence changes. Find a version that reflects the relationship with peace that you’d like to “manifest.” You’ll be applying your very own personal peace mantra in the coming days.

And on this day of a new moon, symbolic of new beginnings and intentions, think of your personal peace mantra as a new beginning.

Here’s a list of prepositions… and it is much longer than the one we were given in 8th grade.

Leave a comment with your personal peace statement and/or your observations on how your relationship with peace changes with the use of different words.

May your day be filled with steps and stitches… and a beverage that brings you joy.

~Christina

Other

Many of you commented on using natural fibers when knitting and your desire to support certain types of businesses. Some of these included women-owened businesses.

Dotty, owner of the Net Loft (the one who has the online watercolor classes I previously mentioned) in Cordova, AK sells Jamieson’s yarn.

There’s another woman-owned online shop with only a couple of yarn brands, one of which is Jamiesons and Smiths. The shop is Fairlight Fibers and has the best prices I’ve found in the US and great customer service.

Just in case you were interested…

Day 11... K is for knitting

by Christina

“Peace... the knitted way”
— me

Knitting or crochet, weaving, cross-stitch, needlepoint, quilting, painting, writing…

any creative act that speaks to you…

stitch by stitch, we create the path of peace…

Knitting is my way… it has been way for almost five decades… it is part of who I am

it brings me comfort, something to do during idle times, and results in clothes to wear… and so much more.

If peace is about relationships,

and relationships are cultivated via knitting,

then knitting is peace

Peace… right and just relationships with self, others, and the Earth. How can we use our creative super powers to create said peace… both metaphorically and in reality? I invite each of you to participate in a collective group think… let’s write a list of all the ways we can use knitting (or insert your own creative medium) to create peace. I’ll provide some examples that may spark additional ideas…

Three jumpers… inspired by three pilgrimages to Shetland: Eshaness, the ocean and seaweed of Shetland, and Storm Babet. October 2022, July and October 2023.

Self…

Knitting connects me to the here of now and the here of far, far, away. In the series of sweaters (aka jumpers) that I knit over the past year using the same pattern, I chose yarn colors to reflect places and experiences that were meaningful to me. These jumpers link the yarn that I love and embody my relationship with a place I cherish.

Buggiflooer beanie, Shetland Wool Week annual hat. Photograph taken at the Tall Ships Festival, Shetland

Others

How can I support others with my knitting when I am not a huge fan of knitting for others? As I reflected on this element of peace, it came to me that mindful purchases can be an aspect of peace. For example, purchasing the Shetland Wool Week 2023 annual hat pattern, the Buggiflooer beanie, supports Shetland Amenity Trust, an organization that promotes the arts (and so much more) in Shetland.

Summer in Shetland, July 2023

Earth

Over the years, I have knit with a lot of different yarn for many reasons… cost, color, impulsive shopping, a momento from a trip, to match the “requirements” for a specific pattern… the list goes on. As I find myself in new chapters of my life, my relationship with yarn (and knitting) has evolved. Now, when I purchase yarn, it is mostly Shetland wool.

The sheep in Shetland consume the vegetation from the land and sea (yes, they eat seaweed)… those nutrients are incoporated into the “fiber of their beings,” their fleece, which is in turn processed into wool. When my hands hold the yarn, I am connected to the Earth through this fiber… another example of the “flow of nutrients” as we discussed on day 6, “food as relationship.”

And when I purchase the yarn from Shetland, it supports their local economy (an example of “other”).

Buggiflooer beanie made from Shetland wool (Jamieson’s), knitting and coffee at Bonhoga cafe, Shetland, UK.

Peace nugget #11

Take some time today to be extra curious when you sit down to knit, crochet, quilt, etc…

How does your creative practice create relationships with self, others, and the Earth?

All metaphors and phyisical examples of how we create peace through our creative practices are encouraged. The more abstract the better. I look forward to reading your comments.

peace…

one stitch, one step at a time…

Christina

Day 10... journey

by Christina

And here we are with the tale of a weary peace traveler…

Day after day, walking the path of peace, the traveler grew tired. Of what she did not know…

it could have been the physical action of walking each day, step after step along the well worn trail…

or the emotional drain of striving for change when so little seemed to take root…

yet maybe it was her dampened spirit, when so much darkness seemed to prevail…

Late in the afternoon, she sat down along the edge of the path to ponder… “I must rest,” she said. “I am not sure I can continue. I am oh so very tired. If I can just find a place under a tree to lay my head…”

She sauntered on until a trail appeared heading off into a woods that seemed to come out of nowhere. Without hesitation, as if called to exit the main path, she found herself walking in a new direction. Her fatigue persisted, yet she felt a spark from deep within… she must find out more.

Deeper and deeper into the woods she walked. Darker and darker it became. Never quite feeling lost but still in search of a place to rest. Nightfall was on it’s way. And as she walked, off in the distant she saw an old stone building nestled in the side of a tree… smoke rising from the chimney. “Perhaps there is someone home and they can guide me to a restful place?” The weary peace traveler found comfort in this thought…

and made her way to the old stone building nestled in the side of a tree.

She knocked three times… waiting paitently between each knock. The door began to open, slowly, very slowly… and a darkness was all that could be seen when looking inside the old stone building that was nestled in the side of a tree.

A very, very old woman stepped forward… yet remained on her side of the doorway, the peace traveler on hers. Oddly, the peace traveler felt a twinge of unease mixed with a wonderful feeling of acceptance.

This very, very old woman was a sight to behold…

her long grey hair, the color of clouds on a stormy day,

her weathered, wrinkly skin akin to the crevaces of the earth,

a long brown cloak, the same color as the bark of trees…

and her eyes, a softness that was not marked by time… aquamarine.

“Come in…” she said to the weary, peace travler. “Come rest your head…”

So the weary peace traveler, stepped over the doorway and into the old stone building nestled in the side of a tree.

And as the two walked from one room to the next, it seemed that the old stone building nestled in the side of a tree began to get bigger… to go farther and farther… into the unknown.

The very, very old woman asked the traveler, “besides rest, what is it you seek?” “Peace” was all she could mutter.

Follow me said the very, very old woman who lived in the old stone building nestled in the side of a tree… and they moved into a new room. The very, very old woman sat down and picked up a pair of socks and began to mend the holes.

She looked up and said, “I will grant you three wishes, one for yourself, the second for others, and the third for the Earth. But there are two rules… you may not use the word “peace” and it must be realistic, an action within your reach.”

The weary peace traveler paused… and said “but I want world peace! that’s why I have been walking.”

The very, very, old woman replied… “you must continue your walk, you are on the right path, yet mend what is within your reach. Your intention is good, yet your approach unrealistic.”

The very, very old woman set aside her own darning, and as they walked from room to room in the old stone building nestled in the side of a tree, the peace traveler stated her wishes, one at a time, with intention and compassion…

for self,

others,

and the Earth.

The very, very old woman sat down, picked up a holey pair of jeans and began stitching the threads together to repair the well worn spaces of the fabric. And while the weary peace traveler sipped on a cup of tea, feeling rested, she began to notice the room and the woman fade away…

and fade they did.

The weary peace traveler found herself among the ancient oak trees and moss-covered rocks, grey clouds high in the sky, and the most brilliant sea… aquamarine.

“And that is how change happens. One gesture. One person. One moment at a time. ”
— LIbba Bray

Peace nugget #10

You probably already know the question for today. What are your three wishes? Within your reach, actionable, and without using the word peace…

Feel free to share your wishes

or your thoughts about the tale

or themes you noticed from the previous posts and how they showed up in the tale of the weary peace traveler.

Other

What wonderful comments about islands. What struck me as a theme is that our lived experiences definitely influence how we view islands. I really enjoyed the sharing of childhood memories and the mention of particular islands, such as Orcas and Bainbridge which made me nostaligic for the years I lived in Washington state.

With deep appreciation for all of you for walking the peace path… even when we are weary.