Family
Learning, Loving, and Living with Agnes
Agnes reminds me to stay in today.
This is Agnes. She is 16, is mostly blind, mostly deaf, has dementia, and now has cancer.
My biggest daily goal is to make sure she is comfortable and happy.
She is a love and has lived with us since we found her at an LA County shelter almost seven years ago.
She finds joy (I know this by her wagging her tail) in simple things. Running to her meal is at the top of the list. She gets SO excited.
Laying beside me every morning while I write is also on the list.
She loves toast. Although she can’t hear or see, her smelling sense is spectacular. If anything is going on in the kitchen, she wants to be a part of it.
Living with her is one day at a time.
This means I give her as much as I possibly can each day. I don’t know if there is a tomorrow for her and I don’t focus on that. I focus on today, this moment.
I strive to do the same with other parts of my life. Staying in today, in this moment. It’s not always easy but my goodness, it sure makes a difference.
This is helpful to my work at Altrui.
