So if you know me, you know I am pretty much a grandma trapped in a 22 year old body. My favorite past time is sitting in my rocking chair in my room and crocheting while watching TV. On my days off, it's how I spend a large portion of my day. I have 3 totes worth of yarn sitting in my room, but I still buy more yarn because... well, don't you always need more?

Now, most people giggle and call me grandma, and I'm pretty cool with that because it's not wrong, but crocheting (and knitting - that's how I started) has given me a lot of peace in my life. There is something calming and deeply satisfying about crocheting the same pattern for hours at a time.

Also, it makes me feel less bad about watching Netflix for hours at a time.

But on a serious note, I really do love it. For me it started with this ministry we did at college called Operation Christmas Child. For this ministry, we pack shoeboxes with hygiene products, toys, and school supplies; then, the boxes are shipped to children all over the globe. One year we did it, and I saw how empty a box looked (we poor college kids couldn't adequately fill the large number we had set as a goal) - it was so sad to me. So I decided I'd figure out a way to fill them. Knitting scarves seemed like the perfect solution.

So I bought a skein of red yarn, a pair of knitting needles, and sat on my bed with my laptop opened to a YouTube video of how to make a scarf. It took me three hours, but I learned how to do it.

From there, it morphed into knitting hats, into crocheting (since it's significantly faster and takes less yarn). It was relaxing, gave me a purpose, and made me really happy.

Things haven't changed much. I make hats like it's nobody's business these days, still for that ministry. I may have just attended my first ever craft night, where I just sat and crocheted with others for almost two hours. I also try to make some scarves for a local school in our area, since a lot of kids go cold in winter because they can't afford warm clothes.

I may have a slight addiction to yarn and to crocheting. But as I tell most people, I think there are worse vices. Truthfully, I am a crocheter for life. I've graduated college, and I still make the hats for them. What else would I do ever night after work? When I crochet, I find a sense of calm and peace, and no other hobby in my life has given me that. I can escape into reading and writing, but it's just not the same.

I also really love to picture kids in South America or China or Africa opening those boxes to a handmade hat. That's what keeps me going. The smile on that little boy or girl's face is enough to make it more than just a hobby for me, but a purpose.

If you've never crocheted or knitted before - maybe you think you're just not made for it - I promise it's worth giving it a try. My favorite thing to do now is use my skill with crocheting to make people gifts (like scarves and blankets). It gives me so much joy to see the happiness on someone's face when I give them a handmade gift. It takes a lot of time and a lot of yarn usually, but the love you get to express through it is so amazing. Trust me. It's worth giving it a shot.

So settle down with a few good YouTube videos, yarn, and crochet hooks, and give it a shot! Who knows, you might find a new addiction for life, too.