Yarning Along with Patience....

I cannot not post for Yarn Along. Even though I hardly accomplished 2 rows on the dolly sweater I started last week and the stack of books I had lined up were only perused. (well, that's not entirely true, I did start some of them... but I'd have to share exactly the same photo as last week if I did that )
But this week, I am here again joining all the ladies (much more talented than I) of the blogosphere who've been inspired by Ginny of Small Things to post a picture of what we've been knitting/crocheting and reading this week.

This week I am focusing on patience; the patience of my little daughter (who, like most four year olds, is not patient by nature), as she waits for me to finish this simple little sweater for her babes and her patience in listening to "Wind in the Willows"  Those of you who've read any of these stories by Kenneth Graham or have even seen the old animated series, know it's not exactly riveting by today's standards. The language is antiquated and there aren't many pictures. There isn't even the haunting melody of the show's theme song to conjure the nostalgia that I at least feel. (and is the reason I bought this book a while back at a library discard sale... I guess the kids today weren't really ripping it off the shelf there either).

Yet for some reason known only to herself, she brings me this book asking me to read it every few days or weeks and we are slowly and painstakingly making our way through the adventures of Rat, Mole, Badger and the ever incorrigible Toad.

When I ask her if she remembers what we read from the last chapter she is miraculously able to tell me the gist of what happened and follows along remarkably well, thanks in part to my quick translation of words such as "harken" to "listen" and "Principle Hall" to ...."living room".

Having patience is something I've also been thinking about independently as well. I often try to think of ways to teach my children life's lessons in the most painless manner possible, but it struck me just this morning that patience is one thing we only learn the hard way; waiting for something is always agonizing, being disappointing, being long-suffering, making room for other's mistakes and differences... this is the work of a lifetime.
The skills of sitting quietly while someone reads a placid tale and taking the time out to crochet each stitch in a row, each row in a block... this is the stuff of patience.

It's good stuff, but so hard to come by... much like the waiting for spring itself.

Cheers.