Candace and Penny (My sister and Me)

The Healthy Knitter wrote the first chapter and asked us to write the second chapter.  

This is for my sister.

Chapter 1.

Long, long ago in a far off land there lived two friends in a tiny rural village. They were the same age and had been the best of friends for as long as anyone could remember. Candace was adventurous, a bit of a free-spirit and longed to see the world... to find that perfect place. The villagers described Penny as the kindest person they'd ever known. Penny was kind, not just nice but genuinely kind and she felt at home wherever she was. The two girls were inseparable.

The two young lassies spent their days assuring that the fundamental needs of the village and villagers were met. They built houses, fetched water, and made meals using produce they grew each summer; their door was open to all who needed their help. Candace, a spinner, magically converted the fleeces from the local flocks into the most coveted yarn and Penny knit up hats, mittens, sweaters and socks to clothe the villagers especially to keep them warm during the long winters. Penny felt fulfilled with the work she was doing however Candace's heart stirred... she was called to see the world. She knew their must be more...

As time passed and the villagers continued to draw upon the help of the two girls something happened. Penny, a giver from the heart started to weaken. No medical provider in any of the near-by villages could determine what was wrong. She continued to work and work and work despite her fatigue but Candace was worried... how long would Penny be able to persevere.

Knowing that winter was approaching, Candace and Penny were sharing a cup of tea as they had daily for as long as they could recall. They took great pleasure in the ritual that had come to be with pouring the tea and placing their hands around the cup just so, pulling the cup close to their heart before taking a sip. After a long period of silence, Candace said in a soft and gentle tone, "I must go. I need to see the world, to meet people from other villages to view how they live. I must find a cure for what ails you my dearest friend as you cannot continue to give, and give, and give. I will return with tales from afar, a remedy for your sickness, and find the perfect place to live."

Penny's heart crumbled. How would she live without her friend... and for how long? Yet Penny knew that she must let Candace go. Penny knew that as much as it was her destiny to stay in the village to help others, she knew that Candace needed to immerse herself in the world beyond the forests of the village.

So Candace packed up a few of her things in a tiny knapsack and headed out the door. Penny sat down to knit and vowed to continue knitting until the day Candace returned.

Chapter 2.

Candace travelled the world - to the Arctic circle, to Vietnam, to southern Sudan, to Bangledesh to London, to Spain. She travelled to help the disenfranchised. She took with her a small felted Venus de Willendorf Penny had made for her years before. In every hotel room, inn and village she would send Penny a picture of the Venus and it was their secret signal that all was well and they were still connected. With every picture Penny felt her health returning.

Candace always knit hats for the babies and children in the villages she visited. Penny always knit socks for the poor and homeless in her own village. They often joked that if there couldn't be world peace at least the people of the world could have warm heads and warm feet thanks to their efforts.

Every stitch Penny knitted while Candace was away reminded her of their bond. Every stitch helped her heal.  She imagined every stitch was a knitted thread that connected them over the miles.

When Candace returned she brought the Venus with her and set her beside her bed where it still lives. She also brought Penny a small statue of Ganesh that sits by Penny's bed.
Ganesh is made of brass - Venus is made of wool. Like their love for each other - soft and unbreakable.