thankfulness

We have an obsession with physical appearance. We exercise. We diet. We pay to join groups that motivate us to attain a weight loss goal. If we are serious about living healthy and staying in shape, it takes a certain amount of work. We must be disciplined and condition ourselves by living a certain lifestyle. It is not easy, but in order to look good we are often willing to do what it takes. With Thanksgiving approaching next month, I was thinking what would our society be like if we conditioned our minds in the same way we are concerned about our bodies. What if instead of demanding "instant" everything, we were content to practice patience. What if there was no such thing as instant popcorn, drive through windows, or cell phones? There was a time when there were none of these things, and as far as I know the people living in this time were not drastically unhappy. What if everytime we let our minds wander to a complaint of some sort, we caught ourselves and instead gave thanks that the situation or problem was not worse? And what if we made it a way of life to give a smile or a compliment to every person we spoke to in the course of a day? What if everyone everywhere took up these habits? I think we would place less emphasis on physical beauty because we would be happier with who we are on the inside. They say it takes six weeks of doing something every day to make it a habit. I have decided although November is only thirty days long, I am going to post something every day I am thankful for. An unknown author said this - "If you haven't got all the things you want, be grateful for the things you don't have that you wouldn't want." Thanksgiving got me thinking about this, but I hope by doing this exercise it will grow in me a deeper sense of contentment. "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." (John F. Kennedy)

a glimpse into dementia

I have to admit I have the greatest job in the world. I say this because I think the best things in this world should make us smile and laugh often, and occasionally strike a chord deep within us that moves us to tears. Not tears of sorrow, but the tears that come when you see, hear, or witness something that touches your soul. I have been told by numerous people I should write a book on my experiences in the world of dementia. I fell in love with those who are fighting this disease called dementia and/or Alzheimer's some time ago. I took a position at a nursing home where I assumed I would work with those who needed minimal care, assisted living, I guess you could call it. Boy did I miss the memo on that one. Somehow I had applied and proceeded to accept a position on the late-stage dementia unit which was home to 50 residents. I was responsible to do everything for the ten residents on my caseload they could not do for themselves. It was up to me make sure they had not only everything they needed but everything they wanted as well. No one warned me, at least not in a gentle way, that it was vital to have quick reflexes and a creative imagination in order to survive. When people learn I work with residents who have dementia, the common response is: Do they remember you? There is a slight misconception that dementia solely affects the memory. I have done much research on this disease in order to understand those who suffer with this illness more fully and I must say that memory is a key part, but there is so much more. The first attack this disease makes is on the brain's ability to take a current experience and move this experience from the short term memory bank to the long term memory bank. They can no longer make NEW memories. This is the reason for the stigma attached to the memory portion. For most individuals, memories of people and experiences they have lived with most of their lives, are the last to disappear. As the disease progresses, they lose their ability to think abstractly, they lose their inhibitions, and near the end lose their ability to do simple tasks and require total care. It is a sad disease that I would wish upon no one however, the people behind the disease are a group of individuals for whom I so deeply care for and enjoy. I never knew I would treasure the simple things in life so genuinely, cry so openly with families I hardly knew, or laugh so freely at the unexpected happenings that are characteristic in the world of dementia. I had to preface my writings about my residents by saying all this. So if I tell a story or make a comment about an experience I had, I want those who read to know that it is not with arrogance or a spirit of ridicule that I tell my stories, but in order that I may remember the stories of those who are still living as well as others who have gone on, but all of which I have loved dearly and hold in the deepest part of my heart.

Election thoughts

This will be my only blog on the upcoming election. I have decided that I am tired of hearing about the election. I know for some Americans this is their life and their constant source of entertainment as well as conversation. While I have no objection to the fact that this is an extremely important event and will definately participate in voting, I feel that sometimes our interests become obsessions. While I am interested in the general lifestyle these candidates live, I am not interested in how many drinks they had during their college years, how many times they sneezed today, or what they had for breakfast yesterday. And while I am definately interested in their views and plans regarding certain topics, I could care less who "won" the debates, who uses the "joe the plumber" analogy most often, or even who has more experience in office. The fact is neither person has ever led our country so it will be a first time experience for either one. Truth be told I really don't have total confidence in either one. They both scare me. We tread on dangerous ground when we place our hope and confidence in a mortal man. Humans, you see, we tend to mess up and make mistakes, make bad choices, do things we regret, take chances, and sometimes we are even downright stupid. Even the best of us, those with the most public office experience, the greatest charisma, and the flashiest smiles. God will use whoever is elected to further His purposes in this world. He has a history of using the most unlikely people- both in the Bible and the present- to accomplish His will. And while it may not be the person WE are rooting for, God's Word says clearly that our plans are not His plans and our ways are not His ways. That should give us confidence. At the same time it should also shake our "need" for a certain candidate to be elected. It should drive us to God's throne begging His will to be done. Our country was built on the principles of God and we are in danger of forgetting this, in fact, the words of Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 sum it up best-- “In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered… do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?” I'm afraid, as Americans, we may be losing our senses.

Day One

My brother has given me great inspiration. I am a fairly private person, so I don't write to entertain people. However, I appreciate my brother's idea of a blog being an online journal as I don't like to write but much prefer to type. I read so much and I think much more than I read so I figured it would be productive to write my thoughts and experiences down on paper, or rather online, which is perhaps more permanent in this day and age. I might write often, or I might not. But this really is more for myself, to capture thoughts, ideas, and life experiences that happen- and then are forgotten- far quicker than I care to acknowledge. This is to help me remember. This is my life.