Weaving as metaphor is on my mind a lot lately. The warp of life is the intention, focus and belief. The weft is the actions we take daily. The cloth we come out with depends greatly on how closely we adhere to the warp. Weaving as an activity slows us down and takes our pace in life to a more sane level. It is hard to hurry in weaving and all the steps have to be completed in order or the whole thing falls apart. But then when you get all of it threaded and ready to weave there is a nice rhythm in the throwing of the shuttle back and forth and it frees the mind to wander down other roads. It is too bad in our culture that most things are not done by hand any longer because I think the mind benefits from life being slowed down to a more humane pace. As I throw the shuttle I like to think about the person who may wear my scarf or shawl. I enjoy the sense that this piece of cloth may keep them warm or provide some kind of comfort. I always hope that they realize that each piece is made by hand with the intention and focus of bringing something useful and beautiful into the world. That is the great gift of handmade craft that a machine lacks. May your warp be straight and true.