I remember we were sitting around the dining table trying to recall just how big our family grew since we have been in the United States. I was still in junior high at the time and I recall having to create a family tree. We tried to remember a few names and who's related to who, which one got married, separated, had kids, etc. But Mama just sat there quietly, staring up at us with a smile.
I looked over to her and asked what she was thinking and she just glanced back at me and asked, "What do you need to know?"
I giggled and said, "Ma, obviously we are trying to place our family together!"
And she said again and even more quietly this time, "What do you need to know?"
I tilted my head to the side and asked, "Ma, you can't possibly know it all! There's too many of us!"
She sat straight up, smiled even bigger this time and said with utmost confidence, "I know."
The room stood still and we all looked over to her. I had a blue pen in hand and a long yellow pad of paper in front of me. Then she spoke carefully and began to list the names of people I didn't know before she got to the names of the people I knew. She spoke of people who passed on, remarried (even if this was considered unholy in her eyes), had kids, and even those kids' kids. She spoke of families that are connected to ours, but are not technically connected by blood. Detail by every detail including where they live (or lived), how they lived and who they lived with and how much of that tied into our upbringing and created our history. She knew everything even every single one of their birthdays. My birthday. All of our birthdays.
Mama remembered without jotting it down. She didn't need a calendar. She didn't need a minute. She just said it all until she reached the last of us. She knew it all because she held her memories tightly until they were taken away.
Until this day I still don't understand why it was taken away from such an amazing woman. I don't see how any of this makes sense and this is why I stand. I walk. And I fight.
We are calling on all of you to help make this year just as successful as the last 4 years. This battle won't end unless we continue our fight. It's once a year that our family and friends (as many of us that are able to do so) gathers together to show our support against a disease that took away the life of our beloved Mama. Her memories.
Please know that we wouldn't ask for your help if we truly didn't believe it would make a difference. We would carry on this torch on our own if we knew it would be enough. But we can't do it all without every one of you. Our Mama believed in coming together to make things happen for the good. Our mama was good...is good...and will always be good.
Mama was proud of what she left behind and of all the accomplishments she carried with her up until she couldn't carry it anymore. This was a story of just how proud she was and how I almost doubted her for it and how by such a small conversation around a small table my mind was quickly changed. I will never again question the power of a strong memory.
Please check out our website
http://act.alz.org/goto/teammama and fight with us to remember.
Thank you.
With all my gratitude,
Myrnelle
Froy & Maria Dizon
Froy & Maria Dizon
