Stitcherific

Lately, my drug of choice has been embroidery. It’s become that thing I want to do when I crave total relaxation. I think it’s the calming effect of putting all of your focus on precise, neat stitches that is so relaxing to me. Now I understand why women of times of yore spent hours upon hours stitching. It’s one of the most relaxing activities in the history of all time.* (*fact)

Before stitching, logic puzzles seduced me. When I was stressed or worn out, there was no better relief than focusing all of your mind power on whether John wore the blue shoes and walked to school or if he wore the brown boots and rode the bus… Though they sound innocuous enough, logic puzzles require a huge amount of focus and you cannot have your mind on anything else in order to complete them.

I think it’s that focus on something that doesn’t really matter, like stitches or puzzle solutions, that provides relief to me. It’s the escape from my usual thought patterns and anxieties that I crave. I guess it’s the same reason why drinkers drink and druggies do drugs…to escape your life for a little while.

Well, until I start exhibiting the signs of addiction (like stitching alone, missing work because of stitching, spending all of my money on thread, or getting arrested be being too crafty in public) I will continue to endeavor to embroider.