She walked slowly through the aisles of the thrift store, an almost permanent smile on her weathered face. Her granddaughter had brought her there, thinking it would jar her memory or show her that a good day was possible.
The old woman stopped occasionally and held something in her hand as if trying to remember it from days long past. Then, with a sigh, she moved on, seeking out just one piece of a life lived when things were simple.
She stopped in front of a beautiful old hutch filled with vintage dinnerware, holding her hand to her mouth in surprise. That's mine, she told her granddaughter. I've been looking for those plates and the stemware as well. I'll need them for the dinner party tonight.
I'm sure they can be delivered right on time, Grama. But before she could say anything more, the woman walked on, leaving the hutch and dinnerware behind her and forgotten.
They spent the better part of the afternoon slowly looking at hundreds of items, some of which she took great interest in and others that she liked at that moment. I'm tired, child, she said, and hungry, too. Can we have a bite to eat at the diner Grandpa and I loved so much? Of course, we can, let's go now. She held her arm and walked slowly to the car. It was only minutes before the old woman fell asleep, only to be awakened once they reached home.
Did you enjoy our day? she asked her grandma. The woman smiled and said she had a wonderful day. She especially loved the root beer float at the diner, which she and Grandpa liked so much. But now I need to rest for a bit, she said. You'll come again for a visit, won't you? The young woman covered her lap and stayed until her grandma fell asleep.
Memory loss affects many, and there is no cure. What we can do is embrace our elders and listen to their stories, even if they don't make much sense. They believe their words speak the truth at any given moment, and we owe it to them to listen.
Mike 2025
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