Clubs

For many of us, the frenzy of roasted turkey, pumpkin pies, family gatherings and holiday parades is beginning to fade. I was blessed with a very low-key holiday this year so I had the luxury of time to reflect on gratitude. I am thankful for the usual suspects: my family, co-workers, friends, warmth and food on the table. I am also grateful for clubs. Not the hit-you-in-the-head kind or establishments pulsating with loud music and weird lights. The clubs I appreciate are the ones where two or three are gathered for a common cause. The list is endless. Chess clubs for the analytical folks, bird-watching clubs for those with eyes on the sky, running clubs for people who like to run (hard for me to write run and like in the same sentence), Star Trek clubs for Klingons and book clubs for those who like to read or gather with friends for snacks.

My earliest memory of a club is from my childhood church. We had a girl's club called Calvinettes. Mercifully, the name has changed but the purpose remains the same: equip young women for a life of service to God and others. Each meeting began by standing tall, cinching up our little white club scarves with club embossed leatherette slides and following our leaders in a prayer, Bible verse and theme song. Our leaders were women volunteers from the church. They led very busy lives with many family demands but they stepped up to the plate to give me and my squirrelly little friends a chance to explore who we were and where we were going in life.

One of our favorite club activities was working for badges to be sewn on our scarves. A list of tasks needed to be accomplished before the badge could be issued. During my era, many of the badges dealt with homemaking tasks. I enjoyed cooking and baking so it was not a problem achieving those badges. Knitting and sewing were another story, however. A very longsuffering leader did her best to teach our group how to "Knit one, Purl two". The goal was to create a little dog that could be stuffed and added to our bedroom menageries. Mine looked like a maimed possum in lavender. I thought my sister's dog looked even worse (sorry, sis). Our ever-encouraging leader never gave up on us despite our obvious shortcomings. I suspect she was thrilled when the badgework was completed.

Another badge involved darning socks. For those of you under the age of fifty, darning is the ancient art of repairing holes in socks and other fabrics. Each of us was given a darning egg (think toy rattle without the jingle) and a large needle with chunky thread. It was knitting class all over again for me. The tumor I produced on my sock was not only an eyesore but I am sure a blister waiting to happen if I ever intended to wear the sock. I remember thinking I better get a decent job someday so I could buy new socks instead of darning them.

Most likely, I never personally thanked any of my faithful club leaders. They led our meetings, taught us new skills, chaperoned our outings, planned our parties and genuinely cared for our well-being.  I took their selflessness for granted but I am humbly grateful for their service. They inspired me to go on and achieve my junior counselor rank (came with a snazzy sash) and later, I became a senior counselor for my daughter's club.

So, here is my heartfelt thank you to all of my club leaders. You may have not been able to teach me how to knit but you certainly gave me a place to belong and bloom.