So her sense of humor was still there, and I was hopeful that she had a memory. Not a memory of me...I knew that was too much...but a memory of the Colorado mountain house we both loved.
"Grandma, I loved visiting you in Colorado. Some of my best childhood memories are there. I loved going up there and eating your toll house cookies."
"Oh! I'm sorry I didn't make any cookies for you. I didn't know you were coming."
That's about when it hit me...Grandma's not gone. She's still Grandma, with the same personality and temperament--the sense of humor, the kindness, the desire to be a great hostess. It's just that her memories are gone.
And that's weird. Can you still be who you are without your memories?
Sep 2, 2006
the self and its memory
It's heavy, emotional going, but you really should read the teacher/ref/poet's latest, Buying my grandmother candy.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I was thinking of Sacks' writing as well - what a teacher here calls "literature in science." He will be coming to the USC campus in a few months to speak; I'll let you know how it goes.
Most excellent. Sacks is a great writer and a great human being.
Post a Comment