I came to obtain a copy of the March 2020 issue of Better Homes & Gardens (BH&G) magazine somewhat dishonestly. I’ll explain the circumstance later.
Now, that I eat meals alone pretty much all the time, I read while I eat. Magazines are good for that. As I flipped through BH&G’s many pages of advertisements, I actually found a few articles! The one on page 66 halted me. The title was, “darn it.” It wasn’t an abbreviation of “Oh, darn it.” It was the darn-your-socks kind of darn it. Yup, right there, a photo with balls of yarn, needles, scissors and two unmatched, creatively darned socks. Below the photo was the two-step process that showed the stitching pattern used to darn the socks in the photo.
I had to wonder, WHO DARNS SOCKS? In fact, I wondered, who might own the kind of socks that are darnable? (I know, that’s not a proper word.) I think of the material and texture of the socks I own and the other types I know, and none of them would be suitable to be repaired with darning. I am allergic to wool, so I realize I don’t have that sock experience, and there may be others I don’t know about.
Anyway, I couldn’t help but wonder if BH&G knew something about this stay-at-home pandemic six (or more?) months ago. (Which is likely when the article was written.) Are they visionaries? How did they know that beginning in March or there about, people might be going nuts looking for something to do? Some skill to learn that would require intense focus? Something to give purpose to found moments in captivity? It strikes me as suspicious. Why else in this modern world would they suggest darning socks? I can’t imagine.
Skepticism aside, and with due respect, if you or someone you know does darn socks, I think it means you’re a pretty “darn” talented, skilled and patient person. I think anyone would have to be really good at it, because having a hard lump in your sock from an improperly darned patch would be a little bit of hell in your shoe, in my opinion.
If darning socks sounds like a good challenge to you, and you are worried about actually touching a copy of the March issue, BH&G does have a YouTube video with instructions. However, unless you already have the materials, I am not sure where you will find the yarn and darning needles right now. I don’t think Stop ‘n Shop sells them, but I can’t say I’ve ever looked.
I resisted writing this blog post several days after seeing the article, because it isn’t in line with my mission of “Simply Inspiring Perspective.” Assuming most of my blog readers don’t subscribe to BH&G— though in light of the article, we may all want to reconsider. I felt writing this could be a public service. Perhaps you might be looking for something to look forward to, in addition to Put Out the Garbage Day, walking the dog, or taking a break from Netflix during this crisis. Darning something/socks might be the answer. If it’s you, I’d love to know your experience.
With regard to my acquiring the aforementioned magazine dishonestly, since I last wrote a blog post (one year ago), I’ve been through 15 months of grief, dismantled the life I had with Wade, sold the house, and moved to a rental. I am somewhat settled and glad to have made it through. My mind is finally clearing, and that’s why I am blogging again. The BH&G magazine came in the mail in early March addressed to the previous tenant here. (You may know that the post office doesn’t forward magazines.) I knew how to get it to its rightful owner, and I chose not to. I kept it, and I’m glad. It hit my re-start button.
My little bit of perspective about this time in our lives is to try and find some, perspective that is. Fear is the deadliest virus of them all, and it totally disables the immune system.
Footnote: I am still on turning my 100 pages of journal entries from the past 15 months into a book about the power of perspective as it relates to grief, called Good Grief, what you think, you feel. And, I am also ghostwriting a book for a client. So, no darn time here. How are you holding up? I'd love to hear! tanya@tanyadetrik.com
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