Knitting is very conducive to thought.
It is nice to knit a while, put down the needles,
write a while, then take up the sock again.
[Dorothy Day]

Back when computers were slow, I produced a magazine that had about 80 photographs an issue. I scanned them into photoshop to use in the layout. Each one took a considerable amount of time so I knit while the little bar moved across the screen. I could make half a sock in the time it took to scan the photos. Knitters wait well.

I spent a full day in a surgical waiting room last week while my friend was having heart surgery. I knit while the other folks paced the floor. I just knew she was going to come through Okay and she did — I’d given her yarn as a get well gift so she had a pair of socks to knit while she healed. She was looking forward to knitting and reading. Knitters make patient patients.

There are some skills I learned at such a young age that I can’t remember learning them — like walking, feeding myself, talking and knitting. I’ve learned how to do a lot of stuff since then, but the act of knitting has proven to be one of the most useful skills. It is my mantra for meditation and has seen me through a lot of challenges. Knitting is good for my mental health.