“It is not given to us to know which acts or by whom, will cause the critical mass to tip toward an enduring good. What is needed for dramatic change is an accumulation of acts - adding, adding to, adding more, continuing. We know that it does not take “everyone on Earth” to bring justice and peace, but only a small, determined group who will not give up during the first, second, or hundredth gale. ”
Here we are, a few weeks away from our 5th annual Project Peace. The first occurred in 2016 on the heels of the US Presidential election. And now, 4 years later, here we are… in the midst of a pandemic and the on-going need to cultivate peace in our world. Somehow, I stumbled upon this quote early this morning… it was exactly what my soul needed… keep going, one small, simple act at a time.
“Peace is a journey of a 1000 miles and it must be taken one step at a time”
This quote remains one of my all-time favorites as it reminds me that peace is a process, a journey. While it would be comforting to believe that peace is a destination and once you arrive, the work is over, this mindset can lead us to easily become discouraged. So, please join me for another peace-filled December where we can come together with a common goal of fostering peace in our world, one simple act at a time.
Project Peace is a knit-along and peace-along. For the knit-along, I will have a pattern available for purchase via Ravelry (let me know if that doesn’t work for you) and I’ll be posting daily musings on The Healthy Knitter website from 12/1-21. My mum and I have been designing some very special, limited edition bags to celebrate the occasion and I have several give-aways provided by generous friends. Keep in mind, you don’t have to be a knitter to participate. Raise your knitting needles, paintbrush, pen, spatula or maybe even just your tea cup during the month of December… all are welcome. The goal is to foster peace…
Each year, I spend a lot of time pondering an appropriate theme for Project Peace. This year the idea, “peace in place” came to me early on so I’ve had a lot of time to think about how to connect this with the daily December posts.
The year 2020 was a year that was to be filled with travel. With 3 planned trips to Shetland, 2 with my mum and 1 with the University, it seemed my dream of being able to spend time in a place I feel so connected to was now on the verge of being a reality. Many of you know of my love for Shetland, an unexpected love affair with place. As a mountain gal, I never anticipated feeling so at home in Shetland, a place without trees.
I’ve lived in the Mid-west for 11+ years now and while I find many aspects of the prairie quite beautiful, I’ve never felt truly connected. Last March, with lock-downs looming, I remember thinking “well, it’s time to connect with this land” and the idea for “peace in place” began to take hold.
Identifying with “place” provides the opportunity to create peace with self, others and the Earth… This year’s Project Peace blog posts from December 1-21 will focus on possible ways to cultivate “peace in place.” I think you’ll really like what I’ve come up with!
While the pattern link is now active on Ravelry, the actual pattern instructions won’t be published until November 30. Details on yarn supplies will be ready on November 15. A portion of the pattern sales will be donated to a yet-to-be-determined peace-oriented organization; remaining funds will be used to offset the costs of operating Project Peace.
This year’s pattern is an elongated shawl with a textured stitch pattern and a ripple border… in many ways it represents the land and sea. Cozy was my vision when designing this shawl with thoughts of wrapping oneself in a big hug in a place you find peaceful. I’ve worked hard to keep the design relatively simple to make it accessible to many knitters.
Please join me this December as we focus on peace, collectively…
one breath,
one stitch,
one word,
one step,
at a time.