There was a loud gasp in the room, everyone including the parole board was flabbergasted as Danielle spoke about the crimes of her father. Her voice cracked and she swallowed hard, but pressed in continuing to share from her heart. "So many families have been torn apart, by these ghastly events, we have all been saturated with loss, sadness, and grief, weighed down by shame and guilt, and every morning without fail we wake up to fear and anxiety. I struggled through the years with low self worth, substance abuse, and deep depression in my effort to drown out all the stigma and burden of his crimes. It has not been an easy journey. Nothing will bring back Ivy Long, nor will my words erase the scars of molestation, but my hope is that we empower ourselves and connect like a jigsaw puzzle, with every piece representing healing, forgiveness and positive support of each other falling into place, to ensure a healthy future."
There was not a dry eye in the room, everyone was drawn into Danielle's heart and felt every word that she shared. Especially Jena and Pinkie, who were sobbing in the arms of their prospective families.
Life is a string of decisions, both large and small, that together work to make up our hours, days, weeks, months, and, eventually, years. Each day we decide what time we crawl out of bed, who we spend our time with, and whether or not we pursue a life change.
But what if this privilege began to dissolve, bit by bit? What if each decision we make leads us deeper into a maze that reduces our rights and choices…and hope? This is a glimpse into the lives of those who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and this collection of stories dives into that maze with the patients and their families and loved ones. Each piece is layered with love, regret, happiness, grief, and acceptance; and each expresses the complicated situation of ageing as well as caring for one who is growing old.
However, inspiration is waiting around every corner in the form of God’s love, compassion, and promise of eternal life in heaven. Laugh and cry along with the people who depict the truth that so many know. And find hope, as you hold your loved one’s hand and carefully consider the next decision that must be made.