Sunday, February 12, 2017

Heartfelt...

I must have been struck by Cupid's bow recently, as I've been a bit on heart kick.

A couple of weeks ago I made two different hearts out of the same Granny Sweetheart pattern:

First a hotpad sized heart:
Made out of Lily's Sugar 'n Cream yarns and crocheted with extra rows.


And then a sweet little coaster-sized heart from the same pattern:
Crocheted from Patons Grace sport weight cotton yarn.



And this week I finished this small Heart's Desire doily out of Omega Sinfonia sport-weight cotton:
I love how the hearts are a little bit funky in this doily. :)   Elongated and tilted, they're practically dancing - and they make me smile.  I kind of wish I'd made it in a bolder, or a non-traditional color, but even in a too-sweet pink, it says "fun" to me.  

~~~~~

Last night we celebrated middle son's 25th birthday.  A quarter of a century ago he was born!!!  How do my three sons just keep getting older while I still feel like their 30-40 something year-old Momma. Okay...  of course my body doesn't feel like I'm still in my 30's (or 40's), but in my heart it feels like just yesterday I was that young, and in my mind I can be there in a second.   ;^)

Which reminds me... this past week I had a sweet conversation with a friend (who's a bit older than me).  We talked about how our bodies age (and we certainly feel it), but in our hearts, we just don't feel ourselves aging.  It's an interesting phenomenon that some of you younger readers may not recognize yet (or surely don't recognize as profoundly as you will when older).  I imagine I don't yet feel it the way, say, an 80 year-old does.    But I suspect this happens to everyone who lives long enough to feel their body aging.  It's both a sweet and hard thing thing to feel younger in spirit than one's physical years.

Our bodies sometimes age us out of certain activities or fashions, sometimes language even, but our hearts still embrace these things (even if only in our memories - even if we laugh at ourselves remembering go-go boots and mini skirts, or granny glasses and bell bottoms ).  I smiled when my friend referred to something "cool".  I still say things are "cool", or sometimes "neat".   I can't help myself.  It just comes out.  I wonder, sometimes, if my youngers hear this and think that's just too weird, or does my generation, and the one before, satisfactorily own the lingo?  Will I still be using words like "cool" or "neat" when I'm 85?  If I get there, I sure hope so!  ;^)
    
I want to live young at heart.  Not in a cliche sort of way - always looking for fun, or being silly or always laughing.  Not that a happy spirit isn't desirable and something to strive for.  But I'm talking about having a freshness and openness of spirit that youth often provides.  An openness to the future, and to change.   A wonder about people.  A delight and vulnerability in giving and receiving love.   I don't know exactly what this should look like (since I don't know how my future will play out), but I'd like a young-heartedness to be a hallmark of my life as I  "age on".   I'll have to check back in on this in another 10 years or so and see how I'm doing...   ;^)

But today, as we approach Valentines' Day, I wish for big, fearless and, if possible, happy hearts for all of us.
 



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9 comments:

  1. What a lovely post. Yes, I too feel 19 at heart despite my 61 year old exterior. Your hearts are all wonderful but I too really like the dancing whimsical hearts of the pink one. Happy Valentine's Day to you!

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  2. It is good to be young at heart. What a milestone for your middle son. I never cease to be amazed at how time flies. Love your heart hot pads. They are fun and full of love.

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  3. You're young at heart alright! Beautiful sentiments and I do say 'cool' but I never wore go-go boots but the granny glasses for sure and bell bottoms. I picked 'awesome' up from my kids, I think, yet I'm older than you. When I was younger I was an old soul but now that I'm older I have a young soul...go figure. I think it's because I have no responsibilities other than myself now which is hard enough...let me tell you! LOL!
    I love your hearts and I have that pattern in my favs already but probably won't get it done until next Valentine's Day! Love yours and the cute doily too! Happy V-Day to you and yours!

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  4. Yep, I'm still in my twenties inside my head! Although sometimes when I hear new music or see new fashionsI feel sooooo old. LOL!

    I love the hearts. And I'm kinda partial to that charming blue jay too!

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  5. The hot-pad & coaster hearts are beautiful and beautifully made. Love your perfect stitching.
    The hearts desire doily I love love love too.
    I like your 'theme for life' motto and it is one I try to live by too. Having fun is an important part of my life. When it's my time to arrive at the Pearly Gates I want to be able to say "wow, that was a fun ride".

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  6. nice hearts! :) enjoyed your reflections! I believe it, I am only 40 now, but I remember my Opa saying at 91 that he still remembers being 5 like it was yesterday. It's hard to know how life will turn out in the end but I pray for mercy... I am more and more aware of those who are older and even elderly and how they used to have a working able body and energy to do many things and how this has changed...

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  7. I'm only 37 (my boys are 6 and 2) but my brain is constantly telling me I'm younger than I am and my body protests spectacularly. So, even though I'm 37, I get it.

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  8. What a beautiful post... Love your thoughts on aging... My boss always used to tell me that I am an old spirit, haha. I have a very good friend, who is 67, she is one of the most optimistic, beautiful, full of life women I've ever met in my life. When I first met her, I thought - I want to be like her in 30-40 years! Happy belated Birthday to you son!

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  9. Love your hearts. It's great to have a young spirit, my boys keep me young at the moment, long may it last.

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