Generosity

This past week was filled with some extreme contrasts of hatred and generosity. The results of the U.S. election have ostensibly authorized waves of hatred across my college campus and the rest of my country. While, at the same time, I have been witness to some amazing generosity in my smaller, fiber-loving community. The latter gives me hope for the future months and years. Whoever you are, however you voted, I hope you will make space in your heart, home, and communities for healing–and, if necessary–a good, hard, fight to maintain the liberties and equalities that so many have worked to achieve.

Now, for some fiber-loving generosity:

First, I received some lovely fiber from Cheri of CJ Fibers (I featured her in an Indie Dyer Interview a few months back). One of the reasons that I purchased this lot of fiber was Cheri’s pledge to give back to her community. Some of the funds from her dyeing enterprise go to helping families in need. This month, she was focused on a family who had just received a cancer diagnosis for one of their young children. Talking to Cheri about her cause reminded me how even the smallest hands, and (what seem to be) the smallest gestures can have ripple effects in the community. I have long been a believer in giving away fiber (sometimes to those who don’t have the resources to purchase it); but I am more inspired than ever to spend my time and money in places where there is a direct connection to helping others.

Second, Sarah Hunt of Fiber Trek was generous enough to donate her time to our C-U Spinners and Weavers Guild this past week–on election night, no less! Sarah joined us via Skype for a couple of hours to discuss her place-based philosophy about fiber, her breed-specific woolen projects, and to answer all manner of questions from the guild members in attendance. Like so many fiber-lovers, Sarah donated her time and knowledge because she cares about building community, collaborating across time and space, and encouraging critical thinking about preservation. What a treat for us; but not surprising, if you know Sarah: in her larger fiber community, podcast, and Ravelry group, Sarah is a champion of generosity: encouraging, for example, localized donations to animal-care organizations. Going forward it makes me what to do even more outreach in my local community and beyond.

The fiber arts can teach us so much about generosity. I’ll leave you with a wee gif that has been making the rounds on social media [GIF credit: http://mochimochiland.com/] GO check them out for your daily dose of CUTE!