Mother’s Day Memories by Mark Dulniak

Do you remember what you gave your Mom for Mother's Day last year, or in previous years? Are there any Mother's Days that were particularly special you remember? A friend once said to me, "Make Moments Count." I have strived to live by that everyday since my Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

It's funny, because as much as we as a society give gifts to celebrate Mother's Day, I find that it's not the gifts that stick in my memory. One of the most special Mother's Days I remember happened 2015 in Orlando. This was a year after my Mom, and the inspiration for Nana's Books, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. My brother and I were visiting my folks in Florida and decided to take them to a fancy lunch then experience the Orlando Eye, the large, air-conditioned Ferris wheel. Typically, my parents paid for all our outings, so they were surprised when not only did I and my brother bought lunch, but we also purchased the Eye tickets. It wasn't a physical gift in a sense, but an experience that we shared together. We all hopped on the Ferris wheel and when the doors closed, the lights inside turned blue. Mom thought it was so cool. We took several silly photos, and the vivid memories stick with me to this day! 

I think too often we assume gifts are what make moments memorable, but at the end of the day, while physical gifts may trigger certain memories, they can't replace the experiences. Sharing special moments with those you love and doing activities together, those are the memories I cherish. 

When someone suffers from Alzheimer's, they may not remember, but we do. Sure it hurts that we can't reminisce about those memories together. We hurt because we love. We love because Moms taught us that love and caring are important! 

Nana’s Books Foundation (NBF) offers you a way to Honor or create a Memory of your Mother (or Father) with an online donation to NBF at https://givebutter.com/4YZ6HB. For $100 or more, you can also receive an NBF t-shirt!