Permission

Giving myself permission to fail for a while,

as I am learning how to crochet.

A box of yarn appeared in the faculty room.

“To whom does this belong?” I ask.

The seed to learn was planted by the school’s bookkeeper.

“Open to anyone who wants it. Take what you need.”

The box found its way into my library, and two skeins of yarn made its way into my house.

I don’t know what to do with it- neither here nor there.

Disguised in a box, the remaining skeins sat to the side in a corner of the library.

“May I check out the yarn?” came a voice.

At first, I was confused, “What yarn?”

She pointed to the box. “I crochet. My mom taught me. Can I see what you have?”

“Of course. Take what you need.”

Other students have noticed the box and have started to share their stories about learning how to crochet as they rummage and take what they need.

And I have given myself permission to fail forward for a while as they instruct me on how to hold the hook and the yarn at the same time and navigate the tricky parts of learning something new.