Sometimes we get it wrong

A restless spirit, always searching. With Mrs Giovanna I learned that, even when you mean to do good, sometimes you get it wrong.

Mrs Giovanna was not a simple person: she was a restless spirit, always in search of something. She told me that in her youth she had taken part in the life of various religious communities, both Catholic and Protestant, but had never found her way.

The first time I met her was while feeding her at dinner. Being a blunt person, she told me at once that I was not very good at feeding people. I was hurt, since I had been feeding the elderly for many years by then.

Despite that first impression, we got on well: I made her laugh and told her about my ups and downs. When she was in a good mood it was lovely to be with her; sometimes, though, her spirit would darken and, as I spoke, she would interrupt me by raising her voice or grow angry for seemingly incomprehensible reasons.

One day another resident who shared her room told me she had heard her shouting my name at night. At first I did not want to believe it, but then it was reported to me by others as well and, although taken at face value it may raise a smile, it frightened me.