Taking stock of 2018

A new year is all about taking stock. At the shop, we do it with inventory as we count each and every skein of yarn, bag, needle, and notion. It's a huge job that takes 8 people all day, and I'm always glad when it's over. As painful as inventory is, I'm always glad to have done it because an accurate count gives everyone a new perspective.

Inventory gives us a clear picture of exactly what we have, what we need, and what we should let go. It also provides insight into what happened last year. Sometimes we find loss. Frustrating, but we write them off and move on. Often we find random skeins of things -- yarn clutter that shouldn't be taking up time, energy, or shelf space. These we send to the sale bin, where treasure hunters breathe creativity and new life into them. Mostly, though, we find yarns we love and are glad to have. Free from the surrounding chaos and clutter, they are fresh and beautiful and full of promise again.

In a similar way, it's good to step back and take inventory of life. My 2018 brought some substantial loss -- the kind of loss I can't really just write off and move on. But I can put those losses in the ledger of life, and find joy in the off-setting gains. I can focus on and appreciate the assets in my life - health, family, friends, and other gifts I take for granted. These are the things that the clutter of worry and stress so often obscure.

In our inventory, we have to count up the bad, but we don't have to let it overshadow all the good. Taking stock of where we are helps put the past in perspective and gives us a chance to look afresh at the wonderful things in our life. It gives us a chance to see how richly we are blessed, to be grateful, and to find a clear path full of beauty and promise.

Wishing you the very happiest 2019

Warmly,
Ellen

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