Did you ever find yourself doing something you never thought you’d do? Well, the other day, that was me - I was darning socks. Yes, actual darning, needle in hand, patching tiny holes in the toes of my husband’s work socks. It all started when I noticed that several pairs had little holes in the same spot. When I asked him about it, he shrugged and said, “It’s the steel-tipped boots.”
Now, the practical side of me thought, well, they’re practically new otherwise—why toss them? So, I sat down to fix them. As I stitched, I couldn’t help but laugh and think, “This is exactly what my grandmother used to do” ... and I thought she was crazy. There I was, just like her in that small, unexpected way.
But as I sat there, it struck me how much life mirrors this simple act. Little holes don’t look like much at first. They’re easy to ignore. But if left alone, they spread until the whole sock is ruined. Isn’t that how so many things in our lives work? A strained relationship, a nagging thought, an unhealthy habit—small issues that seem harmless until suddenly they’ve unraveled into something much bigger.
It made me ask myself: How many “socks” in my own life am I letting fall apart because I don’t take the time to repair the little holes?
The truth is, it’s easier to toss things aside—to give up when something feels broken. But often, there’s still plenty of strength and beauty left if we’re willing to sit down, acknowledge the problem, and do the slow, sometimes tedious work of mending.
Of course, not everything can or should be saved. Some things truly need to be let go. But so often, what looks like a ruined situation really just needs a bit of attention, a willingness to patch the hole before it spreads. Relationships can be healed. Habits can be reshaped. Hope can be restored.
And even when something feels too far gone, I believe there’s still a way forward. The sock may never look brand new, but it can still be worn, still be useful, still have purpose.
That morning with the needle and thread reminded me of something I want to share with you: don’t wait until the damage is too great. Tend to the little holes now, and when the big ones come, remember—there’s always a way to stitch things back together. You just have to be willing to pick up the needle.
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