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Love, Resilience, and Renewal

A Series by Caregiver Gerald Lloyd Wood

“This series of short stories and the accompanying original art were created to document and share my journey as a dementia caregiver. If you are caring for a loved one who is challenged by Alzheimer’s or another dementia, may they resonate with you while seeking meaning in your caregiving work and a better, brighter and healthier future. If this is your first time stopping by, I recommend starting from the beginning with Story #1: A Few Things I’ve Learned.”

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Love, Resilience, and Renewal

What’s Your Story? #21

Acrylic abstract expression painting by Gerald Lloyd Wood on canvas, “Transition Tribute.” Courtesy of Mr. Taylor Joshua Wood private collection. Thought for the day: Giovani Segantini said, “Matter must be worked on by the mind to have any lasting value.”

Author, Elizabeth Byler Younts, inspired me to write about this topic after reading her book, Seasons. It honors the memories of her grandmother’s remarkable life as captured in interviews. She describes a young girl from an impoverished Amish family who remained faithful to God amidst hunger, sacrifice, grief and hard work. A chapter in the King James Version of the Holy Bible about the seasons of life was chosen as the title. That familiar passage in Ecclesiastes 3:1 begins with, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the Heaven: A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck;…A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;… A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war; and a time of peace.”

When a pre-published version of this book was read to her grandmother, Younts could never have imagined the gamut of emotions that spilled forth. Writing third person, she captured the very essence of the book’s star, “Mammie,” calling her a “beautiful creation from the Maker of Heaven and Earth.” 

Younts’ throws down the gauntlet in this plea to readers:

“And this is what stories do—they move us to feel and feel again and to see past the material into the spiritual immaterial. For Mammie, it wasn’t just a story, but her life. But what if these moments had been lost and passed away with her death? I say to you today—don’t let that happen with your own stories. Share them, so that the love and faithfulness of God can be seen woven through the lessons of heartache and joy. The tapestry of life and death should not be hidden in an attic but shared to display and exemplify the faithfulness of the Father and His working in your lives. Share your stories whether it’s a digital recording or a spiral notebook or bound book. Someday your memories will be your family’s treasure.” p. 177

The challenge behind these words is clear. It is a thoughtful reminder to create something enduring before you pass. Anything you leave behind that others see, wrap their minds around, put their hands upon or be inspired by will serve a worthy purpose.

All evidence you lived becomes cherished connections. Daily journals by my father-in-law, mother’s letters, Grandmother Wood’s poetry, Grandmother Bennett’s masterful quilts, a brother’s writing and art and finally, my father’s talented woodworking are priceless reminders of them today. Dad’s hand-crafted porch swings gifted to nursing homes through the years have been providing moments of relaxation for residents swinging gently back and forth. They were built to last for years from hardy, aromatic Redwood. A quality I most admired about Dad was his steadfast love for Mother for 62 years.

Advanced technology including movies, videos and self-publishing are readily available today for the average person. My suggestion is to choose something you enjoy doing and just do it. If making things is not for you, acts of service are other ways to give back. For example, a wonderful legacy is to tell others about your experiences. I’ve seen countless examples of making a difference this way.

The onset of my wife’s Alzheimer’s disease severely impacted our long marriage. It was an emotional roller-coaster from beginning to end. Writing was a way to openly express deep feelings. It was my catharsis and helped others dealing with dementia at the same time. Some were published in print and online. Newspapers published our experiences in their op-eds. The Meaning & Hope Institute now features bi-monthly stories about us on their website blog titled, “A Caregiver’s Stories About Love, Resilience, and Renewal.” We trust they will serve thousands of caregivers out there who seek meaning and a brighter future.

Although fame and fortune weren’t meant to be, my work as a writer, artist and poet are my stories. Each piece, signed with authenticity, leaves my mark. What’s your story?

© 2023 Gerald Lloyd Wood. This story and accompanying art are used with permission of the author, Gerald Lloyd Wood.

Elizabeth Byler Younts, Seasons. EBY Books, 2011. By permission with thanks.

Ecclesiastes 3:1, King James Version of the Holy Bible. Nashville: The Southwestern Company, 1962.

Transition Tribute

After Linda’s passing, Gerald reinvented himself by taking classes and finding new potential as an abstract expressionist artist. Each story in the Love, Resilience, and Renewal series is accompanied by one of his works of art.

Acrylic abstract expression painting by Gerald Lloyd Wood on canvas, “Transition Tribute.” Courtesy of Mr. Taylor Joshua Wood private collection. Thought for the day: Giovani Segantini said, “Matter must be worked on by the mind to have any lasting value.”

Acrylic abstract expression painting by Gerald Lloyd Wood on canvas, “Transition Tribute.” Courtesy of Mr. Taylor Joshua Wood private collection. Thought for the day: Giovani Segantini said, “Matter must be worked on by the mind to have any lasting value.”

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