It is one of nature's rules that her best work can only be fully appreciated with careful attention. Nancy is such a work. She seems easy to understand, but then you see her hands perform magical art, her eyes find just the right color for a vase, or her creation of a handcraft with elegant beauty; and you realize the mysteries of the soul operating in her, will take some study. Even her maiden name makes you think.
Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against Evans, a terrific Welsh name that serves well, but can you think of many names lovelier than Dearwater? It makes you want to swim with your friends.
Nancy’s my quiet friend. She’s it. I don’t have another quiet friend, but I am on the lookout. If you know someone who is quiet, have them send me a Facebook friend request and I will look over their profile and make my decision, no promises. Quiet is nice, but it’s not the only thing.
I say Nancy is quiet because she does not talk much. - I’m sure you figured that, but I say it too because when she talks her voice is not loud, so she is quiet in both ways; and these days, that is a precious commodity. Don’t get me wrong, I love my loud friends; but as I get older my nerves get worse, I’m sure you know what I mean. I love loud, talkative people who are funny and kind; but the loud, talkative mean people are starting to wear me out.
Nancy is not only quiet, but funny and kind too, and how could she help but be given her DNA? Nancy fits well between her mother and daughter; her father and son: with her mother foreshadowing gentleness of spirit and her daughter continuing calm joy; her father anticipating concern for others, and her son reflecting kindness.
Nancy has raised two children, one of whom, Nathan, is sort of quiet, unless he lives with you; and then when he lets himself in with his own key, he stomps up the stairs to let you know he is in the house, rather than to surprise you; and he says a lot of things that make you laugh, so he is only sort of quiet; but he is just as kind as his mother; and the other child, Lindsey, is thoughtfully talkative but not loud; a cross between her father and mother; surprise, surprise.
Aggressive marketing of products or oneself is a common part of our lives, but ever so often I run into a person or a company so far removed from the schmoozing, the apparent trickery, the exaggeration of salesmanship; that I think: would every company or every person not be better served by being honest and unpretentious, since ultimately, unadorned grace is more attractive than all the ballyhooing?
Nancy is as far from a salesperson as one can be, which helps explain why when this past spring she announced on Facebook her intention to walk a half-marathon to raise money for the hospital where her son’s life was saved fourteen years ago, she shattered her modest fundraising goal; perhaps because those of us who know her, saw how far from a natural she was at raising money; and loved her even more for it.
So many of us love you because you are: Nancy.
Picture-book housekeeper
Reliable trip planner
Always there for friends
Nasty bunco player
Creative genius
Young forever
Nancy
Artiste
Nancy
Craftsperson
You
Happy Birthday Nancy DEARWATER Evans
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