If I were to look inside my mind what would I see? Good question you may think.
For me, my mind is like a huge room ,with wall to wall filing cabinets, stacked floor to ceiling with draws of information so readily available for when I choose to instruct my mind go find the answers to my questions.
Over the years of being fasinated with the mind and why people do what they do, I have come across many tools in various methods of training that allow me to answer many of my own questions. Our answers are on the inside of ourselves and not on the outside. Information for us to consider is on the outside, but our answers once we process information lies within each and every one of us.
“The Alzheimer’s mind”, if I were to explain by a visualization would be this.
The Alzheimer’s mind, especially with the generation that appear to be most affected now have more filing cabinets than we do. These individuals have experienced an unbelievable amount loss and gain, fruits of life and hardship and still have some of the most profound knowledge and wisdom known to man.
Their filing cabinets sit quietly waiting for an instruction. They go to their minds in the same manner as every day of their lives, only to find that when the onset of Alzheimer’s presents itself to them the key to the draw no longer works as it used to. Sometimes, they will jiggle the key, at early onset Alzheimer’s, only to find that suddenly the draw opens and the filter’s of their minds starts the process of downloading the information.
However, as the disease picks up speed, the key to the lock becomes more and more difficult to unlock. They know the information is in there, but their own filing cabinets are now becoming very muddled. Their system does not work like it used to. Their mental route of access is now foggy and confusing.
They must wonder “Is this the wrong key, am I in the wrong office, what’s going on?
Only to begin the realization that their is something wrong with their brain box. In our lives it is very frustrating when we cannot remember how to do something, I still get frustrated now, but what must it feel like to have Alzheimer’s disease.
I can only begin to imagine how frightening it must be. How confused they must feel when they speak and hear their words become muddled. Being able to go to the bathroom by them selves was something they acheived every day of their existence, but now they need some help.
If it was you or I, I know that I would only hope and pray that there was somone close by who cared enough about me, to show me a level of compassion and understanding that I was not fading away on purpose. I would hope, that they would never shout or raise their voice and guide me to keep me safe, especially from those who sore my vunerabilty as an opportunity to misuse their power. Finally, I wish them to find the courage within them selves and good grace to let me go with my dignity.
And then there after, if I made a wish, the one who was left behind, finds a reason to go on living and to be proud of themselves as a human being who has the right to be here just as anyone else.