Friday, September 19, 2008

The Hands of Time

I've always loved my mom's hands. They were always so pretty to me. I remember when the teenager was young, he used to take nana's hands in his and just rub them and rub them, smoothing out the wrinkles. He'd say "Nana, you're old." She would giggle and reply "Well, yes I am" just as proud as punch. She'd then grab him up with a big bear hug. I remember her showing me how thin the skin on her hands had become and she too would smooth the wrinkles out as we talked. I miss all of the mundane conversations we used to have.

Today, I brought mom something a little different. She loves her chicken nuggets for lunch, just about every day. But today, I brought the little chicken sandwiches, you know the square little ones. By the time I made it down to sit for lunch, she had already put her pj's on. She was confused as to what time it was until I told her it was only noon. She seemed happy that it wasn't time for bed.

I put the camera on the table and snapped a few. I've been meaning to take pictures of her hands for a while now, for some reason. Here she's grabbing her vitamins and medicine. Sometimes she gets confused as to what to do first, take a sip or put the pill in her mouth. I normally try and let her figure it out herself unless she starts chewing one of the pills.

I wonder when my hands will begin showing the signs of time. I suppose I have plumpness on my side. Mom never did.

13 comments:

Robin said...

hi, I just clicked on your comment on someones blog...don't remember whose! I live in VA and my mom suffers from dementia. I've read all your blog entries and I'm in the exact same boat, although my mom does not live with me. I wish she could, but I work. It's complicated. She's in a nice assisted living small group home. Come and visit me sometime!

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

A beautifully touching post! People's hands are interesting, just like their faces...

Cheers,

Rosa

Lena said...

This post made me tear up a bit. I love the first photo. Often, when I look down at my own hands, I see my mom's. More in the way that I use them, though, or hold them. It's hard to explain.

Anonymous said...

Such a beautiful post Rosa! And such beautiful hands! Society is to occupied with age, but a fragile hand, with thin, soft, wrinkled skin and traces of a long lived life is in itself a beautiful work of art. Its easy to be mesmerized by youth, but beeing faced with age its so much more to it than what catches the eyes. Just looking at your mom's beautiful hands I am filled with emotiones, remembering my own grandparents, the beautiful times we shared, my grandmothers laugh, her hands always dirty from gardening, my other grandmothers perfume, and love for expensive handcreams ;-)and also the softness of her skin on her last days.. Thank you Rosa (and mom)for always sharing your life, and for evoking these fond memories in me.

Janet said...

I love that first photo of your mom's hands. I've always loved looking at people's hands....they seem to tell a lot about a person and their life. I also like to watch the way people move their hands....it's almost like dancing at times.

Lisa Oceandreamer Swifka said...

One day I was visiting my Mom at the care facility and asked her to put her hands on a plain colored pillow. I then took a photo of her hands. I don't know what prompted me to do it that day but I am SO happy I did. I can't look at the photo yet but I know it's there and it captured forever the hands that aged with love and grace and who held me as a child and held me as an adult.
These are perfect photos Rosa - they are forever.
XOXOXOXO

paris parfait said...

What a sweet post, Rosemary. It's wonderful that you took these lovely photos of your mom and her hands. xo

Saucy said...

Your hands are lovely, Rosa. We always meant to take a photo of all the generations of women's hands together properly against a black backdrop or something... I guess I will do that soon.

Anonymous said...

When I look at my hands I see my Mum's, I have taken my hands and feet from her side, same as I can't roll my tongue and this is from Dad, he can't roll his either. Of my 3 children only one cannot roll theirs. Funny things genes eh?

Beth said...

This is such a beautiful post, but made me a little sad too. I know how much you must being able to converse with your Mom. I dread it when that happens to my Mom.
I miss You girlie,,hope we get together this week!
xoxooxoxoxoxoox

Jeanie said...

This is so poignant. And the photos are exquisite. Someday you and your family will treasure these in a way I'm not sure you can even imagine now. I find this so very touching on so many levels...

Jeanie said...

This is so poignant. And the photos are exquisite. Someday you and your family will treasure these in a way I'm not sure you can even imagine now. I find this so very touching on so many levels...

Anonymous said...

i'm glad i went down the posts to arrive at this one. it makes me remember how hard it must before you to watch your mom and have all these memories. you are so good and loving towards your mom. it is so nice for you to document her life in some small here for us to witness. you're a good daughter rosa.
XOX

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