The lesson’s we can learn from the Elderly as well as the youth.

One of my favorite books is called, “Moon Walking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything” by Joshua Foer (https://www.amazon.com/Moonwalking-Einstein-Science-Remembering-Everything/dp/0143120530). I came across this book at an airport while traveling around. I related a lot to this book in my career as a teacher, as well as dealing with the death of my grandmother months earlier. The book talks about the memory palaces we create as little humans, how we hold on to them as we age, and why we sometimes lose them later in life.

I referenced this book a lot while teaching mindfulness and meditation to 4 and 5 year olds’. I practiced the art of creating memory palaces with the littles through one of their 5 senses, the sense of smell. We would gather on the rug and I’d pass around little bowls full of different scents and ask them to share what the smells reminds them of, NOT what the smell IS. It was beautiful the answers that came falling out, “It reminds me of the orange tree at my grandparent’s house in Arizona!” This was a memory of a 4 year old! It blew my mind how they could recall such detail just from a small sniff of something.

When my grandmother was moved from Santa Fe, NM to a nursing home in Chicago to be closer to family, she started to really lose her memory. She was 87 beautiful years of age, but her mind was that of a 4 year old, unable to recall things that had happened just seconds earlier. So I applied my tool and practice of recalling memory or comfort for her through her senses. I worked a lot with the essential oil, Lavender to help bring calm to her body and mind. Any time I would visit her I would take a wet wash cloth with a couple drops of lavender on it and rub/massage her hands, feet and the temples on her head. During these moments, she was able to give herself some peace and comfort during such confusing times that happen with dementia.

During her last couple of weeks, I watched her transform from this strong, beautiful, independent woman, into a child like form. She needed the extra love, light, playfulness, empathy AND PATIENCE we give to children. I felt so strong and grateful to have had my background and knowledge in working with children, that allowed me to provide the care my grandmother needed during her passing into a new life and light.