I was thrilled to learn a few weeks ago that I was chosen as a finalist in the Oregon Quarterly’s 2010 Perspective’s contest for an essay I wrote titled “Pack It Up Kids – We’re Leaving: Lessons Learned from an Unlikely Football Fan.” The essay is an homage to my dad’s unwavering dedication not only to his favorite sport, but also to my mom through her journey into Alzheimer’s. Click here to read it in its entirety.
While you’re reading take a moment to read this year’s winning essay “Disappearing Act.” It’s also about a mother/daughter relationship through Alzheimer’s. The piece is beautifully written and definitely resonates with me. What I love about the fact that the Quarterly chose two Alzheimer’s essays in this year’s contest, is the tipping of the scales.
The stories we tell shape our understanding. As we dive into the personal and universal tale of grief and loss and learning to find the hidden moments of happiness, perspectives shift. It’s through sharing our stories that we teach, heal, and hopefully pave a smoother path for those who come behind us. For far too long stories about Alzheimer’s have been tucked away in family albums, but that trend is changing and with it, we are too.
This entry was posted on Monday, June 7th, 2010 at 8:11 pm and is filed under Alzheimer's Info, Clips, Writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
