Wayne Weekly “Spinning Yarns and…Tails”

I have a neighborhood Gavras Center home housing persons with developmental and/or physical disabilities. It is just around the corner of my house. I often pass by on dog walks…or my sporadic exercise routine. This past year I made a friend residing there. Her name is Nancy.

Nancy spends the good weather days sitting on the front porch. The chair she sits in is known by me as “Nancy’s chair”. She is mobile and is often moving about the side driveway and front sidewalk. Nancy has an interesting hobby. Nancy twirls yarn.

“Yarn twirling” is a new event to me. It’s not really a spectator sport, but I have an interest in Nancy’s yarn twirling accomplishments. She will take yarn, arrange several strands together…and twirls the yarn around in a clockwise fashion parallel to the ground. Nancy has several finished products and neatly lays them out in “U’ shapes side by side across the sidewalk or driveway. During this event, Nancy often verbalizes her thoughts. I haven’t been able hear and follow the conversation, but it sounds sincere.

Nancy has grown fond of our family dog Dazy Dew and every time I walk by the center with Dazy, she mimics a dog bark and addresses Dazy as “Curley Fry” (she has a brown curly tail), or “Steak Fry”. During this past summer Nancy has composed a simple song that she will sing when Dazy walks by. The lyrics merely reflect what she calls my dog but with a melody. Sometimes she even dances a bit.

Sometimes Nancy will greet me with a “Hi, Wayne”. The other day she said “Have a nice Thanksgiving”. In the evenings she will frequently say “Have a good evening.” Once in a while she will ask me a question, like “Does Dazy like the weather?”

Now that it has turned cold, Dazy and I don’t see Nancy much. Dazy usually looks over at “Nancy’s chair” on the front porch along with me. I told Nancy God loves her, and I pray for her regularly. I am not always sure what to pray, but I know God loves her and has put her in my life for a purpose.

The Gavras Center has a quote on their web site, “We listen, learn and grow with you.” I think it might be the other way around when it comes to Nancy. I listen, learn, and grow with her.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.                                                                                 Philippians 2:3, 4