Preventing Errors

After the warp is wound onto the back beam, I prepare to thread the heddles. By counting the warp ends into measured groups, I am much more likely to prevent a threading error. If I miss a heddle, I catch it after only 24 ends, instead of after threading all 424 ends. Now, if only I would measure my words before I speak, I could prevent errors in what I say, too.

16/1 linen warp, reading for threading heddles
Blue linen shimmers on the back beam, with loosely-tied overhand knots holding groups of warp ends.

Of course, you wouldn’t literally count your words before speaking, but thinking before speaking is always a good idea. When we rush to say what’s on our mind, our safeguards are gone. And spoken errors are a lot harder to fix than threading errors.

Wisdom protects your words. It means not saying everything you think. Wisdom is a filter that makes your thoughts presentable, so you can speak in a way that does no harm, and only good. When we stop and count the cost of our spoken words, before they leave our mouths, we have the beginning of a good conversation, a healthy dialog, or even a worthwhile disagreement. Oh, the interesting cloth we weave with our words!

May you speak wise words at just the right moment.

Counting,
Karen

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