For some reason, the idea of handmade dishcloths has
come up a lot lately. I think it started in a discussion I had
with a friend about how each person seems to have different
kitchen-cleaning tools and preferences. There's the sponge,
the dishcloth, the scrubby sponge, the plastic mesh scrubby, etc.
I like to use scrubby sponges (yellow sponge w/ green scrub)
for washing dishes and use dishcloths for wiping down counters.
As I was getting ready to knit up some dishcloths but couldn't
find my knitting needles, another friend told me she had just
learned to crochet them. So I tried that instead.
Turns out you can crochet them about any which
way you want as long as you use COTTON yarn.
It's way more absorbent than acrylic. And also much
harder to find. But it has a nice, natural feel to it.
While I was waiting for my car to be repaired at the Buick dealership, a lady was knitting dishcloths. Her hands just flew and the others of us in the room began to comment on her skill. One young lady moved and sat next to her so she could see how it was done. She was a nursing student and was also a single mom and finally admitted that she would love to knit but would never have the time. She walked back to her chair looking a little sad.
ReplyDeleteWe talked about her would be career and I encouraged her as best I could. The knitter's husband asked what I did and he said, "I thought you might be because you have a certain presence about you." The would be nursing student said she was unable to attend her Catholic church and that she really didn't feel connected to God since she left Mexico and came here.
Another couple said they were also Catholic and that they just visited here in the winter from Wisconsin so they also didn't know the parish here very well. A different gentleman asked what part of Wisconsin and discovered that his son attended college in the same town. They exchanged information and the older couple said they would be delighted to have his son over for dinner when they returned to Wisconsin.
The man with son asked me what I most enjoyed about the ministry and I told him it was being able to help people find intimacy with Jesus and to encourage them in their walk with God. The Mexican gal said she thought God was too busy to care about her and I assured her that she was dearly loved by him and that he was never too busy for her even if, right now, she was way too busy for him. She teared up and hugged me.
Several others joined in the conversation and we were all chattering like old friends.
The Mexican gal's car was finished and she was about to leave. The knitter lady gave her the dishcloth and said, "I want you to have this. You are working so hard to make a path and when you use it you can remember that you are very special and the career you are choosing is so very important.
The knitter lady and her husband were next to go. She asked if she could give me a little hug and with tears in her eyes told me she appreciated my encouragement and that she wished she could finish her other dishcloth so that she could give me one as well.
I was the next to go and shook hands all around. The Wisconsin lady hugged me. A newbie walked into the room and said, "Do you all know each other?"
That is a great story about a dishcloth, Rod.
ReplyDeleteAnd you get into the weirdest conversations with strangers!