A New Found Love

By: Jenna Rizzo

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For many years, my grandmother has always been an avid crochet lover. It was not until recently that I decided to ask her to teach me. Let’s just say it is not an easy task! It requires lots of focus to count every loop while being able to make them all the same size. I have always considered myself to be a crafty individual, yet this activity took so much practice.

As I was learning, my grandmother shared how everyone in the family for many years has learnt how to crochet. Ever since she was in Italy, many individuals would crochet items for the churches. It was so normal that once children reached a certain age they would learn how to crochet.

In my head, it is crazy to comprehend how much moving to Canada impacted the normal routine teachings passed down for many generations to then be left behind. It intrigued me so much to take part in something that in a way connected me to my heritage that I have never gotten the chance to witness in person yet. It was eye-opening to learn about an activity my grandma takes part in and how it keeps her connected to her culture in a sense. Ever since I was little, I thought my grandma just loved to crochet. By taking the time to develop an interest in the craft I was able to learn so much more about her culture and why she has kept crocheting close to her.

I truly recommend that everyone should take the time to learn something new from a senior in their lives. You may end up finding a new love for something you never expected. Many beautiful life lessons or stories come from these interactions that can be cherished forever. For me, I have now developed an interest in crocheting and I feel connected to my culture in a way I never quite knew before.