There were many joyous moments that came out of this summer’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, and the most joyous of them all may have been the sight of Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley calmly knitting in the stands after he was done competing. He’s been obsessed with knitting for some time (see the Speedo he dons in the top pic, one of his early works) and he partially credits it with keeping him centered and calm in a competitive career that he often feel overwhelming. That’s pretty awesome.
I’ve only ever crocheted, but I know exactly what he’s talking about. There is a studied and measures tranquility when you have to take life one stitch at a time. It’s meditative in many ways, allowing the knitter to push away all distractions, clear the mind, and immerse in the simple and powerful act of creation. A ball of yarn becomes a blanket with patience and care. The tension of the yarn is tested and manipulated to best effect. The minutiae of each step are examined as carefully as the larger picture and end result. Knitting is a lesson in life. The same goes for crocheting.
To witness an Olympian casually knitting while watching the Olympics also speaks to me on an even deeper level. When my grandmother first taught me how to crochet, it was not something I broadcast to my friends – I kept it hidden and secret to all but the safest people. I knew early on that it would not go over well with my sixth grade class – or, more accurately, it would go over all too well with all the wrong people. And so it remained a secret joy and thrill until I grew old enough not to give a fig what other people thought.
Tom Daley just went and put it on the biggest sports stage in the world, and it gave me chills.
