Looking Back and Moving Forward

Posted on | January 1, 2009 | 10 Comments

Wow. Another year. There are those that I’m sad to see go, and those on which I am quite ready to close the door and move on already. I’m not entirely sure about 2008 yet – I would say that I’m ambivalent about it, but that’s not really the case.

2008 was a year of big events, friends, food, and of course, knitting.

2008 knit photos on Flickr

I knit more for others than I did for myself, a lot more even. That’s quite a changeup for this selfish knitter, and was really unintentional. I still consider myself a selfish knitter, but I will knit for people I love when I see the need or want to express a sentiment I’m not sure how to share otherwise – it just happened that I saw the need a lot last year. All my knitting served it’s ultimate purpose of making me very happy (it is a hobby after all!), whether it was for me or someone else, or whether it became a finished knit or not. There’s evidence in the mosaic above of the mystery project which will come out in another month or two, and of my last knit of 2008, which is yet to be blogged – and of all projects that were worked on, whether they turned into finished objects or not. My favorite knit ever is in there – one which was not knit by me – it gave me great joy to finish the Remington sweater. It’s been worn more and happily so than any other knit.

So, for 2009, I do have a few goals for my knitting, but I’m mostly just focussed on current projects in process or on deck. It’s time to add some sweaters to the mix! Though there are two sweaters in there for 2008, neither is one I knit from start to finish last year and only one did I knit completely myself. I got a new start on my Festjakke today, and an upcoming project for Gryphon will also serve to satisfy the craving for a more substansial knit.

2008 life photos on Flickr

Looking back on 2008 in general has given me such a great feeling. For all it’s ups and downs, I’ve come out of it in a really good way. I didn’t really set specific goals for my knitting or for life in general – unusual for me, but a good thing as with an abundance of family and other events, it likely would have ended in a string of disappointments. It was better in many ways and much harder in others, than I could have guessed – and I feel better, stronger, healthier, and more capable than I have in a long time, maybe even forever.

We cooked. We hiked. We celebrated. We voted for change. We exercised our creativity. We raised money (with an awful lot of help from you all) and walked another 60 miles. We grew food. We spent time with family and friends. We fought for Mathias’s health. We got out of our shells a bit. We cut out a lot of crap from our lives and our house and our food. We saw great shows and art, and made plenty of messes. All without a whole lot of specific goals. We shook things up a few years back (or got shook up, depending on how you look at it) and figured out what was really important. Despite the fact that our scenery hasn’t changed, we’ve changed and we’re now solidly on a different path. We’ve gone from knowing something was out of order to thinking and talking about it, to making small changes and working it through, to not having to think about it much at all – simply acting accordingly. And that feels amazing. Reassuring. It feels like growing up. huh. THAT’s interesting.

Not that we’ve got it all figured out, of course, and there’s always more we can do. But now that the basics are down, I feel more able to do some planning again. And I’m not thinking as much about the “what” we will do with our lives in the future, and focussing more on the how. And that’s pretty freeing. I spent alot of time this week putting together my big list – a life list I guess – with smaller things as well as big ones. And I put them all on 43 things. (Ok, not all of them. I thought that whole 43 number was just a silly thing, but they really won’t let you add more!) The fact that we’ve made such major changes in the way that we think, live, and eat, gives me confidence. All the things on the list, even the “dreams” actually seem attainable now.

So, a big, celebratory toast. For new years, progression rather than new beginnings, confidence and resolve as well as hope.

And a very big thank you to all of you. For your friendship, support, and for reading. Happy NEW YEAR.

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P.S. Many of you have gotten to know Tad a bit over the last year or so – and his love for movies – He has a great year end movie wrap up on his site – some great viewing for you all if you’re in need of some New Year’s entertainment!

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