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I place a high value on moments.
Life is filled with moments, both joyful and sorrowful. There are moments I yearn to relive, moments I wish would never end and moments I’d rather forget.
I value moments because the people I care about are woven into them. While I can’t always be near the people I care about, I can carry memories with me. That’s become especially important to me this year after moving to New York, with my family being in Minnesota and most of my closest friends being in Kentucky.
Covering several assignments about Alzheimer’s disease for El Mensajero Católico has had me giving extra thought to moments. I recently photographed a forum for caregivers and also spent some time with a nursing assistant who works with Alzheimer’s patients at a nursing home.
Because moments are so important, I think Alzheimer’s disease has to be about the worst of diseases. To spend a whole life gathering memorable moments, only to have them taken away, is a depressing proposition.
It’s especially apt to be cherishing moments as I think about the time I’ll spend with family next week while celebrating Christmas. This year, I’ll be paying special attention to soaking in every moment with my family.
As I try to hold onto moments, I’ll be thinking about one of my favorite quotes, from Italian poet Cesare Pavese, "We do not remember days; we remember moments."
