48

Family seemed real only in milestone photos:
birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, reunions.
Hien Mai, Gian and Dao shared our home four months,
then Don and Nina till that house was sold—
no more swimming pool and utility maintenance!
Campbells went back to Guinea; 
Jean and I moved to the Silver Spring townhouse.

Diverting romantic urges in dramatic roles, I played 
a cleaning woman at Riverdale Presbyterian’s Side Door,
raccoon at Dayspring, homeless intruder at Potter’s House.
Was ecstatic when my new crush sang at our housewarming.
Wonderful Counselor spoke through Church of the Savior
people and places; Prince of Peace led me in daily
practices of centering, walking, piano-playing.
Dayshare clients became friends; friends became clients.
Trips included Longwood Gardens and Virginia Beach 
with the Vietnamese, Washington NH with old friends.

47

Lifespring courses wound me up like a top.
I spun from Anti-Racism Team to tennis lessons,
Meals-on-Wheels to apple-picking to flea market sales.
Holy Joy Spirit, I tried to do too much;
lost sight of You except for Dayspring glimpses.
Yet You breathed full-time life into Dayshare 
with group home exercise classes,
one-on-one car or wheelchair-lift van rides
and door-to-door planned routes for group outings
especially with the Vietnamese Seniors.

Thanks for safe driving all over DC, MD and VA,
plus Baltimore, Lancaster PA and even NYC.

Thank You, Abundant Provider, for countless 
hours of help maintaining pool, house, cars and van.
Jesus, how You blessed that last year
with daughters home and deacon son nearby!
God forgive my dozens of whirligig church visits;
thanks for Servant Leadership School,
Compassion Group and caring women friends.

46

Came to my senses at Dayspring through yoga prayer;
sensed shalom with Ruthie’s last words “It’s so beautiful”
same words my heart sang on each Dayspring visit.
Yet lacked a sense of direction at work
though I was Activity Director at Bedford Court;
at home, though daughters and others thrived there;
at church, though I attended two or more most weeks.
Lacked common sense to slow down and grieve:
kept square-dancing, going to concerts, plays, movies;
all my senseless yearnings centered on one man
who gave me a sensible diagnosis after ten months—
“no chemistry, too judgmental”.
Meanwhile I bought a 15 passenger van
and built the Dayshare Newsletter mailing list.
Renewed friendships at 25 year Calvin College reunion
and grew new ones with Margee Iddings at Rising Phoenix.