Weaving Magic

Chewa Thapa was a bubbly eighteen year old who lived in the picturesque town of Gangtok which is nestled in the mighty Himalayas and offers beautiful views of  Mount Kanchenjunga , the third tallest peak in the world .

Chewa was full of bounding energy . She filled her day with multiple activities , walked five kilometres in the hilly terrains to get to her college and helped her mother with chores around the house . Yet she felt pretty charged up and had a tough time falling asleep at night . It was worse when she was in primary school and she had difficulty in focusing and learning . Sitting still in the class was something that she could  never do and more often than not she found it difficult to pay attention to what her teacher was saying . She loved swinging on the tyres that was tied to the tree in the school garden and would try to avoid getting into her class . Other children did not like playing with her since she could not take turns and she was perceived as a bully . Things got out of hand one day when Chewa stole a classmate’s fancy water bottle . The school decided to speak to her parents about getting her assessed at the big hospital in Kolkata . The doctors there had called her condition ADHD and had even prescribed some pills .

Her childhood had been tough and now at college she felt lonely and misunderstood .

One evening , as Chewa headed home from college , she saw an old lady sitting in her yard with a needle and some wool weaving what appeared to be a very beautiful stole. The lady was so focused in the work that she did not notice Chewa staring at her . She seemed completely oblivious to her surroundings and was at peace with herself . Chewa knew that the  lady was not knitting as you need two needles to knit and she had seen her mother knit a sweater . She was curious and decided to ask the lady .The lady told her that her name was Dechen and she was a supervisor at the tea  estate and was making a stole with crochet for her daughter to wear to college . Chewa asked Dechen if she could teach her to crochet and Dechen agreed and asked her to come back the next day with some wool and a crochet hook .

Sure enough , Chewa went to the market to buy some wool and a crochet hook and reached Dechen’s home at the agreed time . Dechen was happy to see Chewa show interest in a dying art , something that she could not get her own daughter to do . Everything was about computers and phones these days . 

Dechen gave Chewa some tea and started her lesson . She showed Chewa how to make basic chain stitch with the hook  and asked Chewa to try . Chewa started to make the stitch with the hook when the all too familiar feeling of monkeys doing cartwheels in her tummy happened . She dropped the hook and the wool and went running to the gate. Dechen was confused and shocked . She could not figure out what was happening .

Chewa went back in with a guilty look on her face . “I am sorry”, she said to Dechen.

“What happened to you and why are you apologising ?”, asked Dechen feeling concerned . Something in the old lady’s voice pulled at Chewa’s  heartstrings and she broke down . She confessed to Dechen about her disorder , the challenges that she had growing up and the difficulties that she still had . She said , “ I understand if you don't want to teach me . Many people have told me that I am a difficult person to be with and there is only so much that I can learn or do . I did not run away wilfully . I just couldn't stop myself .”

Dechen looked at Chewa With respect . She had never heard of ADHD but here was a girl who was so determined at rising above what fate and the people around threw at her while giving up would have been the easier option.She decided to teach Chewa.

Dechen said , “ I have never heard of ADHD before but I believe that if you are interested and determined enough you will be able to learn whatever you wish to . Sometimes you just have to try things a bit differently . Tomorrow evening let us go upto the estate where you can run for fifteen minutes before you start your crochet .It might help you focus a bit better .”

As planned , Dechen  took Chewa for a run before starting the crochet lesson . Chewa was able to sit for a little longer . As Dechen watched Chewa trying to crochet , she realised that Chewa did not have enough focus to weave something big like a stole. She had to begin small-really small. May be a pair of earrings would be a good option.

Chewa made her first pair of earrings in three days . She held the earrings in her hands like they were the most precious things in the world. Chewa was happy. 

Dechen made Chewa’s favourite momos to celebrate her success. Chewa felt motivated to do more.

One day Dechen was playing some buddhist chants in her phone as Chewa did her crochet, since it was her prayer time. She observed that Chewa derived a sense of calm from the chants and was able to focus better. She decided to teach Chewa to chant.

Chewa got better at crochet with time and practice. She was able to crochet napkins and coasters. She also became a happier person. After all she had found a friend, her only friend, in Dechen. Weaving was magical.

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Postscript 

I look upon all my writing as a labour of love , but the story of Chewa will always have a special place in my heart . The story of Anindita’s trip to the ice cream parlour came very easily to me since I have had similar experiences because of my Autism . Understanding Chewa was a learning in itself . I know people who have ADHD and to be frank, there have been instances when I was scared of them . But I don't know what it feels like to have such intense energy levels that completing a simple task can be a challenge . A huge shout out to my mentor , Shaheli Mukherjee madam , for helping me understand what ADHD is all about . 

The one thing that I knew from the start was that I wanted Chewa to succeed . After all it takes people of different kinds to make this world and it is only fair to want Chewas of the world to experience success . I hope I have done justice to Chewa’s tale. I am looking forward to your feedback and thoughts . Hope to hear soon.