à la carte spirit by ilona fried
Starting Over
How Will You Liberate Yourself Today?
Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. – Viktor E. Frankl My father used to honor the second day of May as his second birthday. It was not an occasion for … Continue reading
Knitting Ain’t for Sissies…or Bullies
I just finished a keyhole scarf I started knitting a few months ago. I’m exhausted, not exhilarated. After several frustrating beginnings, described here, I hit a groove. Or so I thought. More than halfway through the project, I surveyed my work and discovered many glaring mistakes. Not only that, the design I modified to accommodate … Continue reading
I am a Bostonian
If one believes that birth city determines identity, then I am a Bostonian. The Boston Marathon seems to have always had a large local footprint. Even in suburbs far from the start or the finish line, runners and joggers were as common as spring crocuses. In the hilly Lexington neighborhood where I grew up decades … Continue reading
Meditating on My Footprint
I have disproportionately large feet. Contrary to the predictions of my heavily perfumed and amply cleavaged seventh grade French teacher, my stature never became commensurate with my outsized feet (and hands). She swore I would be at least 5’6″. Although I found her personality eccentric and her scent overpowering, I had faith in her prophecy … Continue reading
If Patience Were a Vitamin, I’d Take the Whole Bottle
My aunt, who until recently was Queen of Crochet, with many large and intricate projects under her hook, read about my return to knitting. She had this to say: “It’s like anything else…it needs time and patience.” She made it sound so simple. If my body has a deficiency, it’s that it seemingly lacks receptors … Continue reading
à la carte spirit by ilona fried 
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