Spinning and Weaving My Life

Spinning my life is a daily skill.

              It takes pedalling at even pace,

spreading and feeding fleece to form thin thread,

              holding the tension, not too tight, not too loose,

as life’s fibre unravels in smooth, gentle twist.

              Then plying the yarn with another.

Weaving my life takes this daily thread,

              held in place by its loom, its frame –

the warp thread holding strong and firm,

              the weft thread winding its way back and forth;

gently combing and smoothing each row in place,

             to form an intricate, lively pattern.

Over eighty years, I’ve been working away,

patiently producing a life patterned

              by faith, hope and love,

finding meaning in ancient values of

             justice, mercy, compassion,

challenged by contemporary learning,

             there’s always more to discover.

This booklet is the garment I now wear

evolving uniquely from spinning and weaving my life