Here is the next of the beautiful, inspiring, special contributions coming in to the #MandalasForMarinke remembrance project. I am grateful for each and every amazing contribution. You are invited to join; learn more here.
Beautiful Crochet Mandala
This crochet mandala reminds me of watermelon but also of flowers in the grass. Beautiful!
Meet the Maker
This mandala comes from Allison of Allison Rae Crochet who writes:
“Hi, I’m Allison from Shippensburg, PA. I’m self-taught in crochet and began selling some pieces about one year ago. Yarn is definitely my creative medium of choice; I love the way it feels in my hands.”
She adds:
“Wink was a beautiful soul. She handcrafted wonderful handmade works and inspired me with her story. Her passing touched me deeply, as I have struggled with depression of my own in the past. Crochet has become a form of therapy for me; the feeling of accomplishment after making something with my own two hands is like no other.”
Her Facebook page shares:
“Just call me one happy hooker of the yarn variety. My crocheting endeavor began in the 8th grade, and to be completely honest, I sucked at it. I dabbled a bit a few years ago, but I didn’t have the passion for it yet. In February of 2014, when I stopped working, towards the end of pregnancy numero dos, I picked up that crochet hook again with more determination than ever and I haven’t been able to put it down since. It warms my heart and brightens my soul that I am able to send my handmade creations all over the country (and in the future, the world). I love that I get to send a little piece of happiness to someone else.”
And says to Wink’s family:
My heart sincerely goes out to each and every one of you. Hugs xoxo.
Words by Wink
In October 2013 Wink wrote:
“Are you enjoying this Autumn as much as I am? I love the orange, red, and brown colours outside; the nip in the air; the shorter days; the longer nights; this is my season for sure!”
About Depression
One purpose of this project is to raise awareness about depression so each post ends with some facts, thoughts or quotes about depression, suicide and/or mental health. In a previous post we learned about Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder, where people get depressed in summer. But did you know that more suicides happen in springtime than other times of year?
This might be related to winter weather, though. Many people do get more depression in winter – because of the weather, because of the holidays, whatever it may be. It’s common for people to be more suicidal when coming out of deep depression than when actually in it, so that’s a possible reason that suicides spike in spring. Another reason might be that there’s hope that springtime will make depression go away and when it doesn’t people feel even more hopeless.
There is also a theory about depression related to inflammation. “Inflammation is marked by an overactive immune system and dilated blood vessels, and it has been linked to chronic conditions ranging from asthma to heart disease.” It may also be linked with depression. And it may be more common in springtime.
All contributions to Mandalas for Marinke are welcome and will help raise awareness about depression while honoring her work in the same way that this great contribution has done today. Details to join here. Deadline is to have all mandalas into the mail no later than 10/15/15.
Fascinating information about springtime trends, especially the links between depression and autoimmune problems. It doesn’t surprised me but I had never thought to examine the relationship between the seasons as well.
It is spring in Australia right now and the changing light affects my autoimmune conditions. I learned that lupus symptoms can be triggered by exposure to sunlight. I so find that outdoor activities in the warmer, brighter seasons really do increase my fatigue despite application of sunscreens etc. I can see how an increase in autoimmune symptoms can contribute to depression. Thanks again for enlightening research. (Sorry about that unintentional pun, but it is on topic I suppose!)