Driving alone is a good time to cry. You can sob as loud as you want, turn up the volume when an appropriate song comes on the radio and scream or whisper the words—depending on the type of crying. But you can never completely let yourself go (that kind of crying is best saved for…
Alzheimer's
I’ve got to figure this out before I lose you, love…
“Honey, I want to go home.” I look away from my book to meet her eyes and answer, “we are home.” “No. I want to go…” she motions with her arms in a direction, presumably towards Mount Vernon where she grew up. “This is home now, and we are here together, and we’re going to…
listen to the sound of my shaky heart
Yesterday was a good day. Today is a bad day. This morning I found Mama Eula throwing all of my grandfather’s things away. She’s furious because he’s taken her money and run off with another woman. When I try to explain that he’s coming back soon, Mama Eula’s eyes widen and she usually says, “When he…
Sophia & Mama Eula & Me
Well, we made it through the night, kind of. Mama Eula woke us up at 5am by turning on all the lights in the house. She seemed surprised to find us asleep in our beds. I quickly turned them off and led her outside into the kitchen, allowing S to get back to sleep. My…
summer plans: love, love, love
For the past 10 years, I have volunteered in the US and abroad, but this summer I have made no such plans. Instead, I am embarking on a different journey: an adventure with my grandmother, Mama Eula. Six years ago, my Mama Eula started forgetting things—how many eggs she put in the cake batter, where…
