Straight From the HeART – Jill Aszling

Straight From the HeART – Jill Aszling

Jill Aszling is an amazing woman I've met online. She always has something refreshing and encouraging to say. Like me, she is transparent and real without being uncomfortably personal. (I hope I'm not.) She is a Diamond!

You will read her thoughts and a serious update on how her knitting lowered her blood pressure during her hospital stay. Read on about her HeART.

‘For me, it's Mindful Meditation. I love to knit and crochet, feel the yarn sliding through my fingers. So often I find myself in some transported state with random thoughts going through my mind. And my body is definitely relaxed!

My mom taught me to knit when I was a little girl and I can still hear her voice gently guiding me through each step.

I often wonder how much it was therapy for women in historic times. When they spun, or knitted or crocheted, many of them were providing necessary pieces of clothing and covering. Do you think it was therapy, or drudgery for them? Also, who else watches TV or movies and drools to think of having the pattern for something one of the historic characters is wearing?

I think this community is lovely.

I have friends around me who knit or crochet but not with the speed and passion as I do, I don't think. They don't understand my two rooms with yarn falling out of bags, and you can tell they are not sitting, thinking about the next five projects for after I finish the current five. So that's why I like Simply Collectible Crochet. Also, I have a grand nephew with autism spectrum disorder and I enjoy the related posts here. Ryan and I have a similar passion for yarn. Everyone thinks it's funny, but I get it. He is so desperate for me to teach him how to knit, but his mom (a beloved niece) and I have decided I can teach him when he's 5, next July. He's a whiz on my little knitting spool, So I think he may get it.

I've had many many health problems (juvenile diabetes for one) all my life, too many more to list now, but the one constant for me has been yarn!
I think I've ended up in the right blog, yes?
Thanks!'

– Jill Aszling

 Update from Jill

‘Hi Celina, thank you so much for posting my thoughts on your page. I can't tell you what it meant to see them there. I'm actually writing you from a hospital bed; last week I had a small stroke and they won't let me go home til my blood pressure is under control. Of course I brought several knit and crochet projects, and it's amazing how my blood pressure goes down when I pick up my needles. I've even managed to convince some of the medical staff here that there is a strong connection between the two. Of course they won't let me go home even if I spend all my time with yarn. Thank you for your wonderful, insightful posts and blogs. I'm on board.

[Here are] two knit sweater jackets I made for a gift to a niece in law who had twin boys last summer. They're not unusual but they're kind of cute and a labor of love. 

Also, I just talked to my 96 year old aunt, who is moving to be near her grand daughter and new great grandson. We had a conversation about being unable to discard knitting needles. She's had most of them for many years, can you imagine?'

– Jill Aszling

Thank you, Jill! You share your HeART so freely and I appreciate that so much.

Bless others by sharing this story so everyone can understand what it means to us.

Straight From the HeART – Jill Aszling