WEDNESDAY MORNING AT TERRI’S by Diane Findlay

Submitted May 2022

Back in the mid-1980s I was a young mom living, as I still do, in rural Dallas County, just outside Des Moines. There was a vibrant, active Bahá’í community in the greater Des Moines area with lots of kids and, therefore, several other young moms. Lucky for me—these women were (still are) fabulous, dedicated, talented, funny, smart, spunky women that I felt blessed to call friends as well as sisters in faith. Needing support and women friends, as all women and maybe especially young moms do, we began gathering at Terri (then Bennett) Foster Ferrell’s home in West Des Moines on Wednesday mornings, with whatever kids weren’t yet in school. As I recall, the group usually included, along with Terri and me, Carol Carpp, Julie Johnston, Cynthia (then Mickunas) Norris-Dorren, Marena Tunkin, and Kim (then) Heydarian. We probably said prayers. We talked about everything. We laughed and shared advice and tips on family life, faith, and life in general. Sometimes we did each other’s hair. These memories, while rather vague after all the intervening years, are precious and I’m still in touch, in terms of both heart and communications, with most of these dear women. We supported each other through some tough times and shared real love and friendship. One concrete result from those gatherings, I think, was a video we made with the Bennett, Carpp, Mickunas, and Findlay kids about consultation, based on an original song by Cindy and Curtis.