Adults view a disease, particularly a neurological one such as Alzheimer's, as an obstacle, a threat, perhaps a nightmare monster that will be stalking and hunting for them. Adults see the disease first, and no longer possess the ability or maybe the interest in looking past the disease at the person.
Children, by contrast, look, act and play from the heart; without guile, calculation or personal vanity. Yes, Grandpa Smith or Uncle Woodrow happens to have Alzheimer’s, but they allow for that while still seeing, still interacting with, still loving that person. Allowing is acceptance of a basic fact or circumstance without anchoring a bunch of negative emotions or behavioral baggage to it.
Children take their aging relatives just as they find them. Judgment, shame and fear will not lie nestled in their pockets along with some of their small toys.
It is a tragedy that as we grew into what we believed was adulthood, we left behind our sense of wonder, awe and acceptance of many things.
Possessing a sense of awe, looking upon the world with wonder and taking things for what they are (acceptance) provide a child with, what some might call, nonjudgmental vision.
Watch a kid around any older loved one who is ill, or laboring with a disease including Alzheimer’s. They are there to express love to there family member and to accept it back in whatever form grandpa is able to provide it to them on that day. They do not see disease with a person attached to it. They see a person who is older, slower and wrinkly, but who accepts and embraces them.
Caregivers: how might we find a better sense of purpose in what we do if we viewed what we did with the eyes of a child? It is within your reach.
Jeff Dodson
February 29th 2012
No comments:
Post a Comment