It’s a humbling thing…

...this learning something new. And spinning has me learning on so many different levels.

There is the actually spinning technique, on drop spindle and wheel. It is challenging, and taking practice. I hear it will be relaxing and even soothing, but I am not seeing that yet. I work at it, practicing, and come to believe I am making progress. Yet when I see what others have accomplished, it is easy to feel I am not doing so well. I keep at it, because I am, if nothing else, stubborn and relentless.

Then there is the lesson of putting myself out there, as in going to the open knitting time at the lys to practice on the wheel. I didn’t go by myself, but I did go, and I worked on something I am not good at in front of a group of strangers, some of whom were very accomplished at what I was trying. Huge for me. Huge.

And what about comparing myself to others? The lesson of being content where I am at, having done the best I can. Accepting myself where I am at. That’s an ongoing lesson for me, not just here, but in many areas of my life.

After today’s spinning lesson, I had gathered data that I could finally ‘file away’, and that is always good place for me to be. I like data and facts to line up a bit. Learning something new, with some many different bits and pieces of knowledge flying at me all at once gets me….well, spinning. Got some plans for practicing on the wheel scheduled, and we have some plans for our next class, too. I am not feeling so undone.

I can learn this. I will learn all of these lessons. It will take time and it will take practice. All of it.