Hope Floats by Big Little Wolf (and the responses) resonates with me on so many levels. I don't feel hope at all and the reason I live seems to be only that I don't want to cause pain, for people I care about, by not living.
That said.....
I work with people who are near the end of their lives. Some seem to have no idea of who they are, where they are, or who they were. These were awsome, amazing, for the most part very educated, highly motivated people. They are still awsome, amazing and educated......they just don't remember it because of some neurological tangles in their brains.
Some days I wonder what the point in living is. Who wants to lose their memory or independence? End of life is rarely pleasant or pretty.
Some days I remember that the journey, not the end, is the point and I'm motivated to stop bitching and live.
Ms. Y had a stroke and lost use of one side along with most of the english she used to speak fluently. For some reason her native japanese is remembered. Mr. N was in an accident at 18, in the military, during the Vietnam war and has been crippled most of his life. He rides an enormous tricycle to the store every day to buy lottery tickets (talk about hope!) and....he was willing to try sushi.
I didn't get video of her trying to teach him to use chopsticks but did get one of his first taste of sushi. Her joy in showing him how to eat it is priceless!
3 comments:
That's so sweet!
Can you send me an email when you get a chance? kkgulbrandsen@gmail.com Thanks.
Very thought-provoking post. I worry about end of life, too, and I need the occasional reminder that this worry is useless. Shut up and live, already, I tell myself! Thanks for the reminder.
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