Deb over at Neatly Tangled made a post today that really caught my eye. It's about why she crochets, and one particular quote really struck me.
Very simple: I can’t not.Incidentally, this is how I always wanted to feel about writing, but never did. I don’t suppose I should be shocked that the choice of medium isn’t always so much a choice, but I am.
(Go read the full post at Neatly Tangled.)
It struck me, because that's how I always wanted to feel about writing as well, and was too guilty to admit that I didn't. I've been wanting to call myself a 'writer' since I was at least 14--I know this because I wrote it in a journal: "I am a Christian. I am a writer. Those are the two important things that I am." This despite the fact that I really hadn't written anything.
I know that I'm a good writer. I'm not trying to brag here--it's just a skill like any other skill you might have. I'm good at expressing ideas on paper. I can't play an instrument worth anything. It's just how it goes. Writing's one of the things that's always come naturally to me.
And I've been keeping journals since I was 13, either on paper or online. So, I know the urge to write is there. I used to go insane when I couldn't roleplay--the only reason I don't go insane now is because I'm too intellectually exhausted from school. But, what have I written, otherwise? My fiction, outside of fairly substantial amounts of words for NaNoWriMo and hundreds of thousands--probably millions--of words of various roleplays, consists of a few abandoned attempts at ill-conceived stories.
And that lack of actual writing is accompanied by huge levels of would-be writer's guilt. So, seeing Deb express this so openly was rather eye-opening. I don't know if knitting is an "I can't not" for me--I haven't been knitting long enough. But, it's something to think about.
I also taught myself how to crochet tonight--I'm not sure if it was as a result of Deb's post or not. I've been considering it for a while now--I'm not crazy about the fabric crochet produces, as far as things like drape and flexibility, but for the same reasons, there's a lot of stuff crochet can do that knitting can't. (Particularly, I want to be able to make amigurumi. So cute!) And, I needed something to keep me sane, but didn't have time to knit.
I made this:
That's a Build-a-Bear bunny that my friend Virginia gave me as a birthday present. I foresee lots of bunny clothes in the future. For now, here's a newsboy hat and a scarf.
And, finally, a question for anybody who might be reading this: What is it that you can't not do?
