When We Can No Longer Do Crafts

I sometimes wonder what I will do when I can no longer hold a crochet hook or use scissors or see well. A dear friend broke her wrist last year when she was 78. It healed, but not fully. They could not operate because of her lungs (COPD). Even with therapy, she didn’t gain complete mobility. The good thing is that she is right-handed and it was her left wrist that fractured. For now, she can still cut her plastic canvas pieces, work with a large needle and yarn, and manipulate everything. It takes her longer these days, and her hand tires more quickly, but she can do it.

When I see her working on her projects, I think about how grateful I am that I have full mobility in my hands and wrists. I think about all the people in the world who do not have this. My sister in the nursing home, suffering from Parkinsons, can never tell when the disease will cause tremors, shaking. But she still tries to write little notes to me. This facility doesn’t have a crafts activity setup. One of her earlier facilities had an activities center and it helped the mobility of her hands when she did even those simple crafts.

I realize that as I grow older, my abilities will be limited. Maybe that’s another reason why I try different crafts and techniques from time to time. If one or more of my parts are not functioning well as I age, then I can rely on other crafts to soothe me and I can still give pleasure to others.

Dear Lord, help me to always be open to the skills I can use and the pleasure I can give with my handcrafted works.