This is a reflection I wrote a while back after a visit with my Mom in 2022. I am deeply grateful for those I have leaned on these past few years and for every moment I get with Mom. Thank you for reading.

The Best Sandwich

A few years ago I was home visiting my Mom. I was aware a major shift was happening with her. Over the previous few months, she had experienced countless falls and several broken bones. Even though we were still a year or so away from an official Alzheimer’s diagnosis, her situation was rapidly deteriorating. Two months after this visit she would need to move into a nursing home.

In spite of everything that was going on with her, she offered to make me lunch. Not wanting to be a burden on her, I politely declined and told her I could make something for myself. I realized quickly this was a losing argument; I acquiesced. Mom was determined and I could see it was very important for her to make me lunch. I watched as she haphazardly shuffled into the kitchen, her unsteady hands taking a plate from the cabinet.

When I sat down to eat, it hit me. This would be the last meal my Mom would ever make for me. Instinctively, I snapped a quick photo with my phone (notice the comically large amount of grapes). This was the curtain call for a scene that’s played out countless times since I was a boy. She sat with me while I ate. We chatted. We watched the birds out the window.

When I finished she asked, “How was it?”

“The best,” I replied.