It occured to me today, when out over the meadows with Bloss my Springer Spaniel, in the warm autumn sunshine, that the peace resulting from letting the mind go it's own way, in total peace and relaxation, should not be resisted. This regular feeling of peace, is something I have increasingly experienced in the past couple of years, as dementia has progressed. Whether it because the increasing feeling of nothing much matters, or, possibly, that one's priorities have altered and become more relaxed and less complicated / complex. It is also probably assisted by the fact that my wife, of necessity, has had to take over the ultimate responsibility for affairs that, previously, would have been mine.
Keeping things simple and straightforward, while proving to be increasingly necessary to assist my understanding, is, I believe, having the knock on, yet beneficial, affect of removing the dross that might previously have made the contemplation of things, more complex than necessary. The mind currently thrives on the simple and straight forward, and yet at the same time, is opened up to many moments of quiet contemplation that result in, what appear to be, straight forward and simple insights into a variety of issues. This, in turn, provides a considerable degree of inner peace. I am of a mindset that why should one fight the joy of the peace that a simple and straightforward, yet insightful, approach to the contemplation of issues brings. In other words, keep it simple.
This season of autumn ties in quite nicely as to where I am in the normal life span and possibly in relation to my intellect. It has been an earlier intellectual autumn than I was anticipating, with the dwindling and reducing mental resources in relation to memory, understanding. However, these reduced faculties have, I believe, been compensated by the development of new creative, insightful, peaceful, contemplative, abilities, that, as far as I am aware, have developed.
To those fellow sharers in the world of dementia, might I respectfully suggest you try not to fight the joy of the peace you may, at times, experience. Yes, you cant do what you did. Yes, you cant be the way you were before. Yes, you have your moments of frustration and annoyance at your state. Yes, you have feelings of sorrow and helplessness. Yes, you are annoyed and frustrated that you have to be reliant on your loving carer. Yes, you may fear the potential results of the strain on your carer, that carrying out their support of you may bring. However, examine the potential benefits for yourself and your carer that periods of mind clearing peace will have. Then seek opportunities to facilitate it - Good Luck and Happy Hunting - IT WILL BE Worth IT!
JSAFGA
No comments:
Post a Comment