Senior citizens are amazing. I call them the Little Olds.

This past week I had the honor of working with two Little Olds, both of whom where picking up a craft they had done earlier and wanted to begin again. Both women were very sweet and had wonderful stories to share. Both women wanted to make something with their hands.

The first Little Old lives in the building where I work. She wanted to crochet an afghan, but she felt she needed help to start it. She had the written directions and had started it. We discussed the pattern and worked through it together until we both understood it. It was a marvelous ripple afghan that she had made often. I wish you could have seen this lady at work. She was curled up so comfortably on the yellow couch and had such a lovely smile. She just settled in and worked on her afghan. She stayed with us for several hours. At the end, she asked if she could come back again. I told her anytime.

The second Little Old came in with her friend. They had been friends forever: you could tell. After Stacey helped them pick out the yarn and needles for her project, I had the privilege of casting on for her and getting her started on the shell. The conversation was easy and light, but the wonder of watching her hands remember the needle dance of knitting was extraordinary. She had not knitted in years, but her hands remembered the knit and purl dance like it was yesterday. They left very happy and confident.

Right now, the empathsis is on the young and trendy. We must not lose sight of the dames of our crafts, whoever they may be. They kept the torch burning bright and are passing it on to us now so we can pass it on someday to others.

I salute the Little Olds. They are truly blessed.