The words below are lyrics to a song written by Donna Raye Hutchison DeVerna about her mother, a victim of Alzheimer’s Disease.
8/19/15 3:45 AM
SPOKEN: Haunted by memories of my mother’s journey with Alzheimer’s
I often wonder … Do they really know if it’s inherited?
Will I have to walk the same path?
Can my family be spared from this suffering?
MUSIC:
What if … I don’t remember you, will you remember me?
And did we have a lot of fun? … Please, can you tell me everything?
How was I as a child, do you know, did I laugh out loud and sing?
And was I happy and free? ‘Cause WHAT IF … I DON’T REMEMBER ANY …
SPOKEN: Oh, wait!! I remember something. I do!
Daddy said, “When you were a little girl you weren’t afraid of anything …”
No … not of anything.
I don’t remember now, but are the memories sweet? Did we howl at the moon? I think I’d like to know I’d done that … (chuckle) And will I remember soon?
BRIDGE:
Please tell me what you can, all the things we used to do.
While my heard is still trying to fly free,
Sometimes it seems there’s still so much of me
There’s so much I want to know; I want to soar, to give, to bring …
Though I’m sure it’s probably true I won’t remember anything.
Please, can you tell me everything?
‘Cause I … WHAT IF … I DON’T REMEMBER ANYTHING?
REPRISE:
I wanted to ride on the wind … Oh, and I wanted to marry a friend …
Do you know? Did I? Wouldn’t that be nice …?
Please, can you tell me everything?
There’s so much I want to know … Please, can you tell me everything?
SPOKEN: ‘Cause it’s sad but true … Like the saying goes, “Life’s a beautiful thing.” But WHAT IF I DON’T REMEMBER … Wait!!! There’s something else I remember …
At my funeral, I wanted the song, “Bridge Over Troubled Water …”
“Sail on silver girl (that’s me!), sail on by … Your time has come to shine.
All your dreams are on their way … See how they shine …
Please, will you remember for me ‘cause …
WHAT IF I, I … WHAT IF I … I DON’T REMEMBER ANYTHING?
Photo: © Arjan All Rights Reserved