Alzheimer’s disease is a sickness that drastically changes a highly functioning individual in a dramatic way that results in requiring living assistance and frequent medical intervention depending on the severity of the dementia. When someone is going through this disease, the individual’s brain begins to cease functioning. The individual becomes forgetful and fails to complete simple activities of daily living.

No one can understand what it is like living with this disease until they have it, or until someone they love has it. For me, my best friend got this terrible disease, and it drastically changed not only her life, but the lives of my entire family. Back in the day, my Granny was able to remember everything, participate in more advanced conversations, and she would always complete whatever tasks she had to do without forgetting about it.

My Granny and I would have the grandest of times having “church” in her living room and sharing communion together with a glass of sweet tea and a wafer seal. We would sing songs and play the piano, dance and definitely make the most amazing chocolate pies!

Unexpectedly, on a crisp October night/early morning, tragedy struck. Granny fell prey to Alzheimer’s disease. It started out by simply forgetting where she was, and then it got worse. It went from being able to walk through the yard to go to her house to visit her, to now driving 15 minutes to a nursing facility to visit her. It took some time, but eventually, I came to accept the fact that my Granny would slowly forget my existence, which was a tragedy in itself, but the real burden came when I realized she would eventually forget all the events in her life that define who she is. Every single argument, warm hug, and tear that streamed down her face would be erased from her memory and gone forever. Her memories were forcibly distorted. Alzheimer’s was no longer an abstract concept. It was real, and there was no cure. My best friend was going to eventually forget who I am, and the numerous memories that we share.

Within the past few years, I have witnessed a woman who I love so much, slowly, unconsciously lose everything she has ever cherished – memories. When we ride down the road, she looks at the trees with so much love and happiness and says, “That is the most beautiful tree I have ever seen.” It breaks my heart that she is unable to remember the trees have always been the same. But when thinking about this disease, it occurred to me that maybe this disease was not a hindrance, but a sanction to truly live. Our journey on Earth is not about finding ourselves, but about pushing ourselves to be the person we want to become.

Maybe Granny has been blessed.

Her ability to rediscover the world around her and recreate herself inadvertently every single day demonstrate that I can create my own future regardless of my past. Alzheimer’s has taught me to step away from the pressure of society and appreciate the splendor of the moment. I have realized how fragile life is. Alzheimer’s has enabled Granny and me to recognize the beauty of life.

What was once just another disease has transformed the way I perceive my surroundings and has endowed me with a new appreciation for life. I have realized that only in darkness can one see stars.

Today I sit here, and I realize that I have finally found the silver lining in this dark cloud.