Tuesday, March 23, 2004

ONLY A BIRD IN A GILDED CAGE

Rocky

ONLY A BIRD IN A GILDED CAGE!

My husband had always wanted a bird.  So, I bought him a handsome bird and he named the bird, Rocky. I bought Rocky a beautiful cage and we began to try to teach him to talk and sing.

Most of the time, Rocky would just look at us like he had a secret. We would cover the cage at night and uncover it every morning. One morning, when we uncovered the cage Rocky was lying on the bottom, very still. We were so sad because we thought we had given him everything that he needed to live and be happy. We had taken care of all of his needs except...The need to be free.

Alzheimer's Disease has placed Peggy in a beautiful gilded cage. All of her needs are taken care of except...the need to be free.

The Alzheimer's cage can only hold Peggy for a while and then one day...The door will open and she will be free of the cage and can fly again. She will spread her wings and slice through the air. She will soar, circle, dive and be lifted up on the wings of Eagles.

It will be a  sad day for me when I take the cover off of the cage and she isn't there.

It will be a Joyous day for me.. when I take the cover off of the cage and she isn't  there...

The Joy will be knowing that she is finally free of the gilded cage that Alzheimer's Disease has placed her in.  Her clipped wings will be healed and she will once again have the ability to soar and slice through the air.

When she does fly away...I hope that she will fly around my head so that I can see her green eyes shining with freedom. As she circles above, I will have the song in my heart  because I will not see the Winter eyes of Alzheimer's staring back at me but the eyes of a beautiful bird that is free..

Sisters. YES, we're just sisters. Our story is not heroic, not even memorable. But when I need support...I sense you quietly by me. I always will!   Helen Thomson

When we were kids, we took it for granted that there was always a sister on the other end of the teeter-totter. Now, I realize what that really means. How do people get through life if they have to go to a playground by themselves? DonnaMasiejczyk

How will I get through life without Peggy on the other end of my teeter-totter? I will just have to place all of my memories of her in that empty seat.

I love You Today, Peggy!

Mary Louise

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

So poetic and beautiful mom... I know that Peggy knows and loves you still... and she will always be there... her weight is on that teeter totter and will push you up into the air so that you can raise up throw your hands in the air and say "wheeee"!
And she WILL fly around you someday... but not now... for now... there is hope and I look forward to two days... the first is the medical breakthrough that will free her of this cage... And the second is the day she breaks free... and flies again... because only then will you and all your sisters & the Braswell family be free again... you have stood under her for these past three years and held her in the sky trying to teach her to fly again... and so she will... but on her own. You all are very compassionate and brave.
I love and appreciate all you do... I love you mom!

Anonymous said...

Peggy was very special and you are special too she was lucky to have a sister like you. Great journaling

Anonymous said...

:'(

Anonymous said...

When you say: It will be a sad day for me when I take the cover off of the cage and she isn't there...
It will be a joyous day for me..when I take the cover off of the catg and she isn't there.
I felt that way when my mother had so many strokes and was left liveless in a nursing home to live out her days. I wanted her to be free so bad and spread her wings instead of existing in a bed being fed liquid food in her veins.
We love em so much we want them to be free.
GypsyPaths

Anonymous said...

ML, there is nothing I can add to this...beautiful writing! I know what you mean...with much love, caragrike (your sister, Barbara).