Day 98: Kelly

The other day as I was driving through town, I saw Kelly and her husband, Jeff, at a local restaurant and thought, I need to bring a pie to Kelly! Here are a few things that I know about Kelly: she was a wonderful teacher, she’s an amazing knitter, she is a knowledgeable and talented gardener, and she has a tremendous heart.

I’ve known Kelly for a long time and first met her at the First Presbyterian church when we both attended the “contemporary” service. One of the things I remember most, is that near the end of the service, the congregation would gather into a circle and hold hands.

At that time we shared our joys and concerns. Many times as I listened to the “concerns” of the congregation I would be overwhelmed with emotion by the troubles facing the various church members. It wouldn’t be long before tears were streaming down my face (remember: we were holding hands). I was usually embarrassed by my tears until I looked across the circle and saw that Kelly was also crying. She said that she and I could be the groups “designated criers” which sounded perfect to me.

Apple Almond Pie

Today when I arrived at Kelly’s house to deliver the pie she was not at home. Oh no, a dilemma: do I leave the pie on the porch and hope that she returns soon? But what if it is eaten by a neighborhood dog? Well, I needn’t have worried. Just a minute later, Kelly and Jeff arrived home. We chatted for a bit and I told them about my pie project. Then I presented Kelly with an apple pie. And, just for a moment, we both teared up.