The Moment When a Connection Transcends a Diagnosis
Climbing the stairs to the common area every other week, to my side lay a sign that read, “Please climb the stairs quietly, per residents’ request.” Suddenly, my steps slowed, thoughts quickened, and excitement eroded. I began thinking, what if I arrive unremembered, unrecognized, and cause her to bewilder. Not too long before I realized that it was never about the memory I left behind but about the moments I got to recreate and cherish, each time slightly more informed about the kind of person “Sarah” was. To her, I was once her grandchild, another time a second cousin, and one day a total stranger, but what had never changed in her perception of me was the endearing smile I received at the end of every visit, even when we sat together through the silence sometimes.
Yesterday was a different day, however. “Sarah” recognized me walking through the door, and the smile I usually received at the end of my visit came much earlier this time, replacing a bewildered look. Delighted to see that I’ve finally left an imprint, my visits have become a lot more valuable to me. Not only did “Sarah” recognize my face, but so did a nearby resident, who quickly cheered, “I hear ‘Lana’s’ voice, and I remember her name, too.” I now knew that I was able to make a difference in someone’s life through bi-weekly visits and that this very person had now begun to await me.
From a deceased grandmother with amnesia, never have I ever thought that I’d be a face of remembrance to someone who was once a stranger, like “Sarah.” Learning that she had spent the time between our visits talking about me to her children and friends spoke to me about what two hours a month could change in one person’s life, even those who may struggle to remember on a day-to-day basis. It taught me that value isn’t always something tangible, but an everlasting memory one carries anywhere they go, in the minds of the young and the elderly. It showed me that what one does never goes unnoticed; the same way a fellow resident recognized my voice and remembered my name, even when I didn’t know hers.
Evidently, the world does see what a person does, even if one doesn’t ask for acknowledgement. Every step one takes with a sincere intention to make a change never fades or vanishes; instead, it becomes a memory in those who observe from far away, those you may not have known ever existed.
Having been part of this program has taught me self-fulfilment, the power of presence, enabled me to recognize the unseen audience, and the importance of consistency over complexity. Unspokenly, there is a profound beauty in moments when a human connection transcends a diagnosis. While this might have been just a transient moment, having witnessed it once is enough to believe in the power of presence.