On Friday night I had the privilege to attend the official opening night performance of Dot at Detroit Public Theatre. Dot is a story about family's matriarch dealing with her gradual decline into dementia and Alzheimer's - and all of the relationships that a family typically struggles with during the holidays. Written by Colman Domingo, the play is wonderful and I cannot recommend it enough. Here is the info - go.
I was especially touched as my family deals with our grandmother's affliction with these same things - though her situation is far more along than Dot's.
In the play, there is a point where one of the character's boyfriends accepts Dot's incorrect assessment that he is her long-passed husband - and when she wants him to dance with her to an old Judy Garland song, the boyfriend lovingly plays along while the family watches in confused sadness. But for Dot - it was a moment of joy, to have her husband back in her arms - if even a mirage. Adam, the character, did not deny her mirage or her joy, but took the moment to see her happy.
Having lost a lot this year, I have learned to embrace joyful moments in times of pain. Hell, I've learned to accept joyful moments in times of joy. When situations change, and when times get hard, memories of good and wonderful times are the echos we have to the good in our lives.
As we enter this week of Thanksgiving, I want to be thankful for times of joy - from the moment they begin to long into my memory. And I pray those in my life and those I care about have moments of joy to outnumber, and carry them through, times without.