To begin, a riddle from Nursery Rhymes of England

***

Socks are not expensive. I could toss this hole-y one and buy another pair, the Reebok brand I prefer. But, you see, I’d have to figure out where I bought this pair, don a mask, go to a store, exposing myself to possible danger once again.

 

I remember that Viola, my husband’s mom, used a light bulb to ease the chore of darning socks, more out of necessity when her kids were little, than of finding comfort as I am doing now.

 

 

 

Gray sock with wee hole

I suture with long, thin thread

Whole sock, holy deed

 

As I pull the thread in and out, in and out, I have time to remember my Grandma Fannie Longenecker, who gave me this ancient sewing basket that stores my needles, pins, and thread. And I think how blessed I am to have the leisure to contemplate contentedly as I mend the sock, making it whole again.

The Danish have a word for feeling comfort, Hygge, which I wrote about earlier in February. However, the word that fits better here is a Greek word, Eudaimonia, suggesting a sense of well-being; a feeling of being blessed.

I felt blessed stitching the torn sock, a humble, grounding task on this blustery Tuesday afternoon.

 

 

 


Do you identify in any way with with darning a sock, sewing or mending a garment?

 

What humble task have you attempted during these past months that you may not have thought about doing during a “normal” season of life?

 

When have you felt eudaimonia?