Because This Love Deserved to Be Documented
This is a very special post for me because these two ladies have become very special to me.
I’ve only known them for about a year and a half, but I have the privilege of visiting them two, three, and sometimes four times a month at their home through the wonderful Companion Program at Hospice Calgary. The program matches volunteers with people impacted by advanced illness. The hope is for volunteers to provide companionship, respite, and practical support for their companions.
“These two remarkable women have reminded me what unwavering love, patience, dignity, and devotion look like.”
Over the past year and a half, I have witnessed a depth of love and devotion that has moved me to tears more than once. A. has been caring fulltime for her incredible mom, who has been living with advanced dementia for nearly 15 years.
It’s not just the nonstop hours she spends caring for her mom’s physical needs that I get to witness.
It’s the way she giggles with her and teases her.
It’s the way she touches her face and gives her big kisses.
It’s the way she brushes her hair with such tenderness, then carefully adds a necklace to complete her outfit.
It’s the thought she puts into the nutrition-packed soups she lovingly makes for her.
It’s the way she dances with her as we get her ready for bed.
And yes… it’s the way she talks about her.
I love hearing her stories. She tells me about what an amazing mother she was, what a wonderful cook she was, what a strong and resilient woman she is, how much she contributed to her community, how she loved spending time at A’s retail store and how she loved getting dressed up and looking beautiful.
And she still does. Every time I visit, her mom is dressed beautifully in lovely outfits and accessories… complete with matching sparkly slippers.
Even though dementia has changed their lives, her daughter continues to honour the woman she’s always been in such a beautiful way. Their love is extraordinary. I really believe that.
Our visits have become so much more than volunteer hours. We talk about everything under the sun. We laugh. We get mad. We get teary. We share stories. We care for Mama together. And in true Lebanese fashion, she fills me up with food every single time I go there!!
Every visit reminds me that I receive far more than I could ever give.
These two remarkable women have reminded me what unwavering love, patience, dignity, and devotion look like. And I was so honoured when she finally said yes to letting me photograph them. It took months of gentle convincing, but I am so incredibly happy she did.
She has given so much of herself to caring for her mama, and I was so happy to do something special for her in return.
Because this love deserved to be documented.
She deserves to have these photographs—to look back and see the love, the tenderness, the laughter, and the beautiful bond she shares with her mama. And one day, when these photographs become even more precious, I hope they remind her that she loved her mama with every ounce of her heart… and that her mama knew it every single day.
If you’d like to learn more about Hospice Calgary and their many volunteer opportunities, visit them at www.hospicecalgary.ca
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