A Small Offering Beyond Ourselves
Autré began during a time when life felt very uncertain.
Hubby was going through difficult treatments, and much of our energy was simply focused on getting through each day.
There was no big dream behind it, no grand plan, and certainly no thought of creating something important.
We were just living through a hard season.
And somewhere in the middle of it, Autré quietly began.
Autré means “other” in French.
Over time, the word came to hold a simple meaning for us: a small offering beyond ourselves.
Even when life is difficult, there can still be something we are able to share.
A little warmth. A little kindness.
Something made by hand. Something given with care.
The pineapple became part of Autré naturally.
It carries a connection to both Hawaiʻi and Taiwan, two places that are deeply woven into my life.
In Hawaii, the pineapple brings to mind aloha, welcome, and sharing. In Taiwan, pineapple also carries the joyful sound, the coming of good fortune. I have always loved that one small symbol can hold a little bit of both homes.
Crafting became part of the story too.
Yarn work, especially, has often felt like a form of meditation for me.
The hands keep moving. One stitch follows another.
The mind may wander, worry, remember, or become quiet for a while.
Nothing needs to be forced.
There is simply the yarn, the movement of the hands, and the next stitch waiting.
During times when there was so much I do not have control over, making something gave me a small place to rest.
And perhaps the most meaningful part was knowing that what began in my own hands would eventually leave them.
A hat could keep someone warm. A handmade piece could become a gift. A little bit of care could travel from one person to another.
Looking back, I think that is what Autré has always been about.
Not doing something big.
Just remembering that even when our own lives are carrying difficulty, there may still be a little warmth within us that can be passed along.
One stitch at a time. One small kindness at a time. A little aloha, shared onward.
Autré ，是在一段充滿不確定的日子裡，慢慢開始的。
那時候，先生正在接受辛苦的治療。生活沒有太多餘裕去想很遠的事情，只是一天一天地走著。
但也正是在那段時間，我慢慢感覺到，即使自己正在經歷不容易的事，心裡還是可以留下一點溫暖，分享給別人。
Autre 對我來說，它慢慢成為：一份超越自己的小小心意。
鳳梨，也成為這個小小故事的一部分。
它連結著夏威夷的 Aloha，也連結著台灣「旺來」的祝福。
兩個地方，兩種熟悉的溫度，剛好放在一起。
而手作，對我來說，也一直是冥想的方式之一。
一針一針地做，心有時候安靜，有時候還是會擔心，但雙手繼續往前。
也許 Autré 想分享的，一直都很簡單：
即使生活不容易，我們還是可以把一點善意、一點溫暖，慢慢傳出去。
一針一針。 一點一點。
一份小小的 Aloha。