New perspectives

Last week I was waiting for my daughter to complete her acolyte training at Grace Episcopal. While I waited I wondered into the adult library at the church and discovered two books on Alzheimer's. The book was called the Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's care. Over the course of the next two days I read the book cover to cover. I have always thought about my fathers illness as a progressive disease that will slowly rob him of the joy and meaning of life. Reading this book opened up my eyes to the fact that it can not only improve my fathers quality of life, but to also improve my own relationship to my father during this difficult time in his life.

Saturday evening my daughter and I went to the Symphony performance. We were given tickets to the event on the front row. I won't tell how long it has been since I attended the symphony but lets say the first George Bush was in office. The soloist was wonderful and the music was also great. The front row is a location I wouldn't buy tickets for. I much prefer to be about 1/2 way back in the audience. From 1/2 way back you can see the entire stage in one glance. The sound quality is also much better there. We sat in seats next to the boom camera. Every so often I would be watching the performance and suddenly feel this large object moving just above my head and then down onto the stage. Jade of course was dressed in her best "theatre" dress. Before the concert started Jade asked me if there was an intermission. I looked in the program and told her yes. Then she wanted to know if we could get chips and a coke at intermission. I think she was more excited about the intermission snacks than the concert but she stayed awake the entire evening. I had to restrain myself at times because when I listen to music I enjoy I be-bop my head a lot. I looked around and almost every other person was just sitting there perfectly still. My head was nodding to the music and my feet were tapping to the beat and my hands wanted to keep time too! Jade had put this sparkling kind of face powder on and every time she leaned against me I ended up covered in little sparkles.

Sunday afternoon was spent hauling branches from my backyard to my front yard. I can still barely move. All through the weekend I kept thinking about the book on Alzheimer's. Living each day to the fullest and enjoying life because you may not always be able to. My grandfather and my father both have the disease and I can't help but think about them and wonder if my life will follow the same path. Thinking about the fact that there is a possibility for a good life even after the disease makes it a little easier to bear. The trick is to not dwell on what is lost or gained in life. It is to be thankful for the small moments that I've had- going to the symphony with my daughter, having breakfast each week with good friends, and sitting in front of the fireplace on a cold night with my wife curled up against me and my daughter sitting on my lap. It's all in how you look at.