Forming A Link

 

"By taking up competency of handmaking, we are becoming

the future ancestors we wished we'd had. Paradoxically, in this 

reversal, we are relieving the longing to be connected to a legacy."

Toko-pa Turner 

In an effort to continuously learn, we can shift our focus to handmaking. Whether it is learning calligraphy, quilting or photography, we expand our senses and imaginations. There has been an enormous loss of artistry over the ages, but the good news is that we may have neighbors or relatives that can teach us a thing or two.

When we reach out to an elder, asking them to share a craft, we bring a new sense of worthiness to them. As we are taught and develop the skill, we now have a gift we can pass down to our own grandchildren. We would be forming a link between the past, present, and future. It is not about perfecting, but rather, experiencing. 

When we maintain a sense of learning, we become more receptive to life itself. Without expectations of mastering handmaking, and just being in the moment of experimentation, we generate excitement, curiosity, and bonding. It is through new discovery that we usher fresh air into stagnant lives.