Passions Run Deep
In February, we celebrate Valentine’s Day so residents at Kendal~Crosslands Communities, a Life Plan Community located in Kennett Square, share with you their passions for the delights, interests, and hobbies in their lives.
Peggy Newton: I remember as a little girl 3 years old, a police dog jumped on me and knocked me over. As a result, as a child, I was afraid of dogs. When I married, my husband Marshall encouraged the family to get a dog. Our whole married life we had English Setters, and they became a special part of our family life. From that experience, I learned the unconditional love of pets. In recent years, my children said, “Mom, you need a dog”. I had absolutely no intention of having a dog at this point in my life, but when I met Cocoa at the age of nine weeks, it was mutual love at first sight, and he has been with me for ten years. I am passionate about Cocoa because he brings me great comfort and ongoing companionship. I walk more now that I have him which is all to the good. He even gets me out in the cold, wet weather when I would otherwise be sorely tempted to hibernate and not exercise. It is endearing because everyone knows Cocoa and greets him enthusiastically every time we are out and about. He is my ambassador of sorts who introduces me to the community.
Jerry Daghir: I have always been interested in music. I recollect a time when I was 5 years old, my Sunday School teacher lifted me onto the bench of a piano and I began to play by sound. Well, ever since that time, I continued to fill my life with my passion for music. I was able to take piano lessons and that paved the way for me to learn banjo, guitar, trumpet, accordion, etc. which all came easily. Naturally, I studied music in college and went on to be a career music teacher in the Coatesville School District from 1954-1993. The Coatesville area had tremendous music roots and passion. Church choirs, music trips, and even the local fire company had their own Glee Club. It was a wonderful time to share my passion with this community – a community buzzing with melody. Today, I’m able to continue my passion for music. Recently, my neighbors and I presented an opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors, by G.C. Menotti. I was asked to do the music for the program, played the music, and we accomplished a wonderful program. Music is a melody that fills my heart.
Susan Snyder: Quilting has been a passion of mine for at least 10 years now. I’ve always sewn, but now I’m quilting baby blankets, table runners, decorated household items, and more. I enjoy making the quilts for the special people in my life. I’ve done them for my grandchildren and for the grandchildren of my good friends. I also make baby quilts for a local agency in Chester County that provide services for women who need a warm blanket for their baby. My passion is the senses of the fabric. Feeling the material in my fingers, looking at the colors within patterns, choosing just the right combination for the perfect hand crafted gift, is so fulfilling for me. I have to laugh, I have started three quilts for myself but haven’t finished it yet. I find that my quilting passion is enhanced because now I am able to do the things I’ve always wanted to do - - such as quilting and not do the things that I had to do - - such as yard work or cleaning. One Saturday per month, my neighbors and I get together in wonderful fellowship with each other and we quilt baby blankets for the Lutheran World Relief organization. My passion runs deep and wide and its pure joy.
Conrad Paulus: It has been at least 50 years or so that our world has been more environmentally conscious. I too share that passion. I don’t like waste. If I see leftover food – I want to compost it; if I have paper - - I want to recycle it. I want to save energy and other resources and hate for anything to go to waste. I recall when I was young, in Virginia Beach, there was a hill that we called “Mt. Garbage”. It was a landfill covered with grass that had been turned into an amusement park which reminds me how long we’ve been dealing with waste. However, my passion now is that there is hope. This hope comes in many forms. First, everybody is learning about recycling and caring about the global reuse of plastics. A large local grocery chain is collecting plastic and selling it to have benches made from it and we actually have some of those benches at my community. My hope is that everyone will become more conscious about the environment.