A Prayer for Dementia by John Pops...

A PRAYER FOR DEMENTIA...

Before I was me, You Loved me.

…And as soon as I was born, You continued Loving me even when I didn’t know how to walk with You, talk with You or Love You back.

I didn’t know Your name, but You knew me.

I didn’t know how to eat or go to the toilet, get dressed or say ‘Thank You’ to anyone who helped me do any of these things, after all, I was just a baby.

People picked me up, talked to me knowing I wouldn’t understand, they fed me without a word of acknowledgment in return, and they sang songs and read stories of the most wonderful things ever, because I was a baby.

They kept on talking to me, hoping that eventually, one day I WOULD understand what they were saying and answer them back, but of course being only a baby how could I?

They cared for me and helped me through tough times whenever I was ill or upset, giving me the medicines that I needed, and the foods to sustain me and help me grow, because I was just a child. They changed my clothes for me and laid me down to sleep in my bed at night, and if I woke up hungry or scared in the dark, they comforted me and settled me back down. You were there with me, standing over my bed and smiling.

Life happened… and during that life, despite some of the stuff I did, You hung around with me and I learned to walk with You, to talk with You, and I accepted You fully as my Guide.

One day I learnt Your name.

Then… You sent an Angel to me, who whispered into my ear a single word…

“Dementia!”

So, here I am, two thirds of a century later and still You sit with me, still You teach me and still You show me Your warmth and Your light and You persistently and without asking stand with me to nourish and re-nourish my Heart every day.

When I forget how to eat or go to the toilet, when I forget how to dress or say ‘Thank You’ to anyone who helps me do any of these things, and when people help me up, talk and keep talking to me even knowing I WONT understand, feed me and clean me without a word of acknowledgment in return, and sing songs and read stories of the most wonderful things ever, care for me and help me through tough times whenever I am ill or upset, giving me the medicines I need, and the foods to sustain me, change my clothes for me and lay me down to sleep in my bed at night, and if I wake up hungry or scared in the dark, comfort me and settle me back down,

…When I forget ALL these things…

then I will know… You are with me still, standing over me and smiling.

Bless all who walk with Dementia and Bless all who walk with YOU LORD!

So, I had a recent visit to a hospital for a small hernia procedure, painful? YES, worth it? YES! What else I gained from this was the fact there are actual Angels here on Earth; and they know who they are. Those special people who see you not with their eyes, but with their Hearts!