We went to see Mum yesterday in her new location on Portrush Rd. She looks healthier and happier although her response to my first question, the only word I got from her during our visit, was telling.
I sang the nursery rhyme, “Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?” In response to my question how was it going her terse reply was, “horrible”!
You can’t argue with that.
It is quite hard to accept the reality of dementia. The individual’s suffering is unimaginable. Sine we are vicarious by nature the confronting reality of the possibility that we might be next is unsettling. To see your mother or any close friend undergo the changes encountered with dementia is a challenge. The person quite literally melts before your eyes! They gradually lose the capacity to communicate with themselves and others as their short term memory disintegrates.
Whilst confronting, it is a reminder of the temporality of life. Krsna does kindly point out that life is punctuated by birth, death, old age and disease. In between we suffer inconvenience put upon us by our bodies, the actions of others and natural disturbances. Material life is cruel. It isn’t meant to be enjoyed, although you may have some lucky moments.
Grab them and use them to full advantage. Especially, whilst we are more closely related to Krsna in the human form. The time to act is now.
In the picture is my Aunt Betty, my Dad’s brother’s wife with my Mum. It is a coincidence (you can read Krsna’s arrangement) they are together. We also met one of the afternoon shift nurses who is a devotee. Her family comes from Mathura and are supporters of our temple. She recognised us because Mum has a picture of Acintya Rupa and I in her room but she didn’t know who we were because when asked Mum couldn’t remember. Her name is Hemalata. She was happy to see us as we were to meet her.
