Rosie ❤️

Rosie’s son asked if I would spend time with his Mom, Alzheimer’s beginning to raise it’s unwelcome head. Next day, I visited with Rosie, beautiful lady full of life and so interesting. I became her companion, what an adventure!!

We enjoyed long walks, we picked wild flowers. We bought brown bread and ate too much of it every time. We sat in silence in our Church, lit Holy candles, prayed Holy Rosary. We both love God, Nature, and crosswords, we sang a lot, we laughed more.

Eight years have passed, Rosie is now in St. Anne’s Nursing Home. Our long walks over, brown bread eaten, crosswords confusing. Prayer, song and laughter remain, Love in abundance too for sure.

Rosie might never miss me if she never again laid eyes on me, but every time I visit we are right back where we have always been, Love never dies. Animated telling me all about her trip up the mountain with her Dad. Her Mom’s wholesome delightful dinner, hens laying lots of eggs, neighbours all well. 

Rosie’s stories, real or imagined are wonderful as she smiles and laughs, reliving every glorious minute. I am back in school being read to once more.

Friends of Rosie ask me how she is doing. I reply; ’She’s smashing, visit her if you wish’ . Almost always, they ask that question;‘Will she recognise me?’ They do not visit, they see no point to it. They would not know how to behave in Rosie’s new strange world, the term ‘Alzheimer’s’ terrifies them. How accurate was Soren Kierkegaard when he said; ‘Once you label me you negate me’. 

If only Rosie and her colleagues would be accepted and loved the way they are right now. Their lives are changed, not ended. If we, their friends, would adjust our way of thinking and behaving, out with the old, in with the new, we would all of us travel together happy and content on a brand new life adventure. Altered  friendships instead of broken ones would ensue, win/win for everyone. 

‘We are all in the same boat, we are all seasick, and we owe each other a terrible loyalty’.                       (G.K. Chesterton)

 

This leaf I picked as we sat together, Rosie and I, enthralled with the exquisite beauty of Autumn. My bookmark now, laminated for posterity. 

Nancy Reagan, who’s husband Ronald Reagan, former President of the United States, endured Alzheimer’s, articulated it as; ‘The long goodbye’. 😌