Crochet Queen: Royal Ramblings

I've been relatively content since my self-imposed isolation started on March 11, 2020. That's not to say that I haven't had some moments of anxiety, worry, frustration, or fear of boredom (but only fear.)  I am trying my best to stay well-informed by listening to only reputable sources: my Indiana State Department of Health and the CDC. I highly respect Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx; and usually watch the re-caps of their reports rather than the whole Daily Virus Briefing. However, I have heard some stories of others having struggles with this catastrophic event in our lives which is highly unusual and highly incomprehensible! If you are the parent in a household, the caretaker for a family member, or a single person living alone, it is essential that you take some time to care for yourself to restore your strength and energy!  I want to share some ideas for Self-Care that I have used, as well as others I have heard are helpful.

Each year as the birthday of my dearly departed husband, Alan, draws near on June 23, I begin to cocoon. Thankfully, I have my crochet for comfort! Shortly after he died, I began to crochet shawls for Threads of Compassion, the charity of the Indiana Donor Network . I can feel great pride in doing this work; because with utmost courage, Alan donated his brain to research on his incurable disease at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Both locally and nationally from the Mayo Clinic, I experienced compassion for what he was going through. It is almost two years until the day of his death; and it doesn't get easier. I draw happiness for the creativity I put into my crochet. It's colorful and can be a bright spot in my day; it is soothing as the smooth or rough fibers flow through my hands. I'm taken away to a place from the rhythm of crochet that is both nostalgic and distracting. Just like the vibrant colors of yarn fade after years and much usefulness; so too di...