Crochet, Convo & Advocacy Threads
Last night, advocacy arose out of a random crochet conversation.
I didn’t head home last night but I went to a local accommodation spot where it’s easy to have a drink, be around people, and be in the warmth where blog writing flows more easily than heading home to the cold.
Seating myself next to a lone woman on the comfy sofa, she asked if I had arrived for the book club. No, I hadn’t but I said we could start talking books. I recommended Motherless Daughters from an author who I am currently studying under and whose book I’ve just ordered. What a fruitful advocacy conversation that commenced. I had taken on 3 young girls after they lost their mama in an accident in 1991. She too was from a family of 6 and her mother had died aged 41. The mum’s name and life was then kept quiet. Case closed.
Following that hearty healing conversation, she was delighted to have been given a voice. The Bold Women Speak way and my natural inkling was to hold that space. She went away totally inspired, heard and with some tools and recommendations in hand. I got to eat the remainder of her garlic bread. Delicious.
Now me alone on the sofa, on my second glass of Pinot Gris, an Aussie woman approached. “Are you here for the craft group?” she asked. “No, but let’s get crafting up a convo together." We did. Two more women joined us – one embroidering, the second knitting and the youngest of us all learning to crochet. She had no crochet clues, so I taught her some basic stitches. Yet me being me didn’t stop there.
I asked her about her own “threads” in life and out came an honest, open convo with all 4 of us women. She shared her take on Global Warming as a snow-and-ski-around-the-world-seeker. The other woman worked globally for the Red Cross in tsunami-damaged places like Sumatra where she witnessed the woes of women in a very patriarchal place. The third woman was dealing with testosterone in her house and helping her three sons navigate a world where housing can be an issue.
Crochet, convo and connection. I went home well fed – not just from the left-over, well-received garlic bread, but from following my intuition to this spot and where it lead. That’s defo my way of serving the world.
Last night, a random drive to a warm spot was nourishing. My cup, and wine-glass, was full. Advocacy continues.
What’s your story that you want to speak up on? Fancy an interview? Contact me janelle@boldwomenspeak.com or head to www.withme.so/BoldWomenSpeak to join our Voice Up Challenge Fest a great starting point. We’re also in the process of creating our Advocates Rising Community on the same platform.
Acknowledgement: Photo https://www.frombritainwithlove.com/15-free-crochet-blanket-pattern-ideas-all-super-easy/
