For Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients, memories are especially important. They are precious treasures. Don’t let them be lost. Share them often. You are their keepers.
As I thought about this, I wrote this piece as a poem. It might be a little rough, perhaps a little raw around the edges; it might stutter a little. But then, memories can be like that. Hold on to them. Your Alzheimer’s or Dementia stricken loved one needs them.
My Memory of You
Little girl running through tall grass,
Little girl laughing, leaping, laughing,
Feeling so exuberant with life,
A smile upon your face…
My memory of you.
School girl trying to be good,
So much spirit to hold still,
Chided by the Mother Nun
Trying to teach proper speech,
Little “foreign” girl defiant,
You smile because the both of you had won…
My memory of you.
Older girl, sitting in a tree,
Holding breath while “mean” mother called,
Finding book more precious than another needless chore,
And your little dog, he never gave away your spot,
As you give away the pain of yet another thing that you abhor…
Determined look in mem’ry’s eye…
My memory of you.
Young lady talking to a soldier,
So amazed and awed at adult life,
Then learning nuts and bolts of working world,
Like how to type and do shorthand notes
And taking on your first job,
And learning to be brave.
You confidently smile…
My memory of you.
Mem’ries, golden moments in your time.
Mem’ries, things that made you be so fine.
Mem’ries, of things that make you strong.
Memories, your building blocks that last so long.
Magic in the moment that we met.
We looked and we knew we knew each other
And we knew our lives as we had know them
Could never be the same again.
Magic moments of your memory…
These are my memories of you
I thank you for that magic
That you brought into my life;
I won’t remember silly fights
’Cause our love was ever only one,
A simple case of equal rights.
You smile…
At my memories of you
These are my memories of you
As you told them all to me.
These are your golden moments
For me to keep forever true.
My memories of you.
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PS: I do believe that all clip art that came free
with Word is free to use. The sketch of Ann
was made by a street artist in July, 1984,
in Vancouver, B.C., Canada.
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