One of the most powerful things to come out of the process of writing and publishing Crochet Saved My Life has been that I’ve gained such a deep understanding of the role that story-sharing plays in my life.
Sharing My Story
The first part of the process was having the courage, ability and willingness to share my own story. It was important for me to be raw and honest without being self-pitying. It was difficult to do. But I believe completely that each individual, myself included, has a very unique one-of-a-kind story and that these stories are each valuable and important in their own right. I believe that we should all respect one another’s stories and to support that I have to be brave enough to share my own.
Articulating Others’ Stories
In Crochet Saved My Life I had the unique opportunity to interview dozens of women about their personal stories. They told me their deepest tragedies and toughest diagnoses. They also told me all of the inspiring ways that they had made it through to the other side. I did not know when I started just how powerful it would be for them to share those stories and for me to hear those stories. I felt so honored to be trusted to pass those stories on to others in the right way. It was a very moving experience.
Giving People Permission to Share Their Stories
Since the publication of the book, I have seen more and more people open up to share their stories as a result of the ones that I shared.
For example, Jen from the Pursuit of Sassiness reviewed my book and in doing so she said that although I wasn’t aware of it crochet had saved her life as well, which is why she was interested in the book when I offered her that review copy. She shares how she went through a terrible breakup (“my heartache bled through the house”) and how crafting helped to move her from one phase of her life to the next, which is of course more positive. Having gone through a difficult breakup myself around the same time that she did I was especially touched by her story.
Another example comes from Sara of Mom with a Hook who admits that she was originally going to offer to let me interview her for my book and then chickened out. However, once she read the stories that others shared, she felt brave enough and ready enough to share her own story of depression and loss and how crochet helped. She says, “Kathryn’s book was something that helped me break through the wall of despair – it helped reading what others suffered, it made me push to stop isolating myself and pick up my hook and yarn again.”
These are just two examples of people who have come forward to share their stories on their blogs, on my blog, in my Ravelry group … It has been amazingly powerful. Each time that I hear someone’s story I feel so touched by the way that their individual experience has been shared. I take my responsibility seriously to be someone who listens with empathy to these stories, who is here without judgment to offer a safe space to say these things.
It was wonderful to share my story. I will probably always be someone who articulates my experience through the written word in many mediums. But what has been really terrific has been the experience of learning how to listen to others because sharing my story opens them up to sharing their own.
