why i give hats away

This photo, taken by a sailor on the USS Higgins. A ship I helped dozens of other knitters send hats to recently.

This sailor, deciding between two purple hats ... one of which I made.

There is so much darkness in the world. So much hatred, so much violence, so much despair and hunger and death and .... darkness.

And what is a hat? It's some yarn, woven together with some sticks. A hat can't cure anything - people will still die of cancer. A hat can't end wars, or bring peace or feed folks.

But these soldiers, who believe so deeply in something larger than themselves? Opening a package of hats like it's Christmas morning (you need to check out the pictures - awesome!)? This is good. This is why I make hats and give them away.

A bit more peace and happiness and love, brought to the world by some yarn and sticks. Maybe one hat can't change the world, but maybe thousands, made every day by folks just like me? Maybe that can.