She Knew

The daughter suspected there was something wrong…she found it most upsetting…when she began to notice all the little things her mother was forgetting. And the more she saw her mother falter…her misplaced keys…her lost glasses…her forgotten shoes…The more confusion she saw on her mother’s face…the more and more she knew… It made her want to throw something…to stomp her feet…to shout… It was as if a hole had opened in her mother’s mind…and her memories were leaking out. As she witnessed her mother’s increasing puzzlement…saw more memories fade into a blur…she secretly hoped her mom would never realize exactly what was happening to her. Until the day she found her mother surrounded by old photos…old family albums too…the day she saw tears streaming down her mothers face…is they day she knew…she knew. It took a moment for her mom to recognize her…both faces showing their strain…for how does a face reveal its love while trying to conceal its pain? “So, Momma. What are you doing?” She asked…her worst fears playing out…Surrounded by all these albums…with these old photos strewn about?” “I don’t quite understand.” Her mom cried. “It’s all just so bizarre…but when I look at some of the people in these photos…I can’t remember who they are.” And so the daughter sat down with her mother…hoping for one more moment the inevitable to defer…and as they picked up and held each picture…she helped her remember who they were. Despite doing everything in her power, however, everything she could think to do…the hole in her mother’s mind grew larger…and eventually…all of her memories fell through. “Do you think Nana knew how much we loved her?” Her own daughter asked the day of her funeral…tears falling from her eyes of blue. “Love is a feeling…not a memory.” She said hugging her daughter close… And although Nana might not have shown it… “She knew… I’m sure she knew.”