THREADING THE NEEDLE: A term used by those who sew, right? Of course. Did you know it is also a way of expressing that life is getting a bit complicated. Today is National Thread the Needle Day. And whichever way you choose to define the day is up to you.

Let’s begin with the basics of getting the thread — colored string — through the eye (hole) of the needle. It really isn’t as difficult as it looks. First, pull an arm’s length of thread from the spool and cut the end on a diagonal. This will give a point for the thread to poke into the eye. Next, have a needle with an eye that is large enough to at least match the thread size. Then simply poke the point through the eye. You might see only a sliver go through, don’t give up. Use your fingernails or a pair of tweezers to gently work this fiber through.

Naturally there is an easier way. You can use a needle threader from the start. These handy tools are a bit fragile, so be tender with them. Insert the loop through the eye, then the thread through the loop. Pull the loop back out of the eye, and VOILA — needle threaded.

Now, to thread the needle of life is a different task altogether. When you find yourself stuck in something, it is going to take time, patience, effort. Maybe it’s a tough decision, a disagreement, a parenting dilemma, or a political matter. Think through the basic steps of threading the needle, but know there could be a tool that makes the task a little easier on you. It could make all the difference.