Spending some time in recent days with my parents I am reminded how special and fragile human interaction and interpersonal communication can be.
At the age of 81, my father continues to battle Alzheimer’s. One moment he can recall the year, make and color of his very first car (a blue, 1947 Chevrolet convertible), the next he has to be shown how to button his coat or wash his hands. A conversation is possible one minute and impossible the next.
In town for the holidays, I treated my parents on Saturday night to Johnny Mathis at Caesar’s in Windsor. There, I was also reminded of the power of music, in particular where memory is concerned. As classics such as, “It’s Not For Me To Say,” and “Chances Are” (their song) emanated from the stage, my father responded with a knowing smile and nod of his head.
As we all face the stress and reality of an uncertain economy this Thanksgiving week, what better time to take a step back to examine what is really important. Sure, things could always be better; at the same time, they could be worse.