06/15/2026
Recently, the joyous occasions have been the hardest. That’s something I didn’t expect. They make me feel quiet and I would admit-even paralyzed at times.
Last week, my mom turned 75. Alzheimer’s has moved in to stay. My mom is getting extremely good care in memory care. At least, that’s the bright side of what I have learned to live with. And that’s my stock answer when people ask me how she’s doing.
Yesterday, while me and my sis were celebrating her, she actually said my name for the first time in a long time. That hit somewhere deep inside of me. But no time to dwell on that. The moment came and went and we had celebrating to do.
Grief is so inconvenient. These days, it seems to find me when I’m singing happy birthday or setting up for a celebration. I’m learning so much about how joy and sadness are so closely linked. To feel both at once, is strange- but maybe so human? So I laugh, and the tears come- and that’s just fine.
So, that’s enough of the sadness. My mom is always smiling and we should take our cue from her.
My mom would always say: “We have each other and that’s all that matters”.
So, please help me in wishing my mom a happy 75! She is a bright light that deserves to be deeply celebrated;)
🫶🎉✨
