A special morning with my father with dementia [Empathy stories]

This time last year, my father was diagnosed with dementia. At first, it was hard, especially when he would forget my name.

But now it’s different, because my morning walks with my dad have become routine. Every day, he asks me the same question. “Who are you?” At first I was saddened, but now I answer like it’s a new encounter. “I’m your son, and we’re walking together again today.”

Sometimes my father stops suddenly and looks at the sky and smiles, and whenever he does, I look at the sky with him. What kind of sky does my father see? I wonder.

Yesterday, something funny happened: we were out for a walk and he called out, “Hey, buddy!” For a moment I was confused, but then I said, “Yes, buddy!” and he smiled.

The memory may be fading, but the emotion is still there, and his warm smile says it all. I’d love to hear your stories.

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This content was originally published in Korean on Tistory