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September Musing from Rebecca Crichton:Adjusting Our Rear View Mirrors

My latest visit to adjust the prescription for my glasses included the familiar process of looking through different lenses. Every time they clicked into place, I identified which ones were most clear, which blurry.

The metaphor of changing lenses to see things better applies to more than our glasses. We all look through different lenses in our lives. As we age, we find ourselves looking through lenses to review and remember the past or plan ahead for future plans or conditions.

While we know that we need to be ‘in the moment’ and present in our current lives, we still make decisions based on old stories or future scenarios.
 
My recent article for AgeWise King County discusses the idea of Life Review, something that has special meaning and purpose as we age.
 
In the 1950s – many of us remember those days – when older people reminisced, they were thought to be ‘Senile,’ a word we are revisiting on the national stage. A decade later, mental health professionals began to recognize the value of and necessity for life review, especially for older people who were dealing with their own aging challenges. 
 
Our current understanding of how memory works indicates that each time we tell an old story, it changes in the telling. Our memories are not necessarily accurate or verifiable, although they feel like the truth when we share them.
 
 My September essay, Connecting the Dots, explores how our past can be a source for recognizing the ways we both change and remain the same. It suggests the value of identifying how we have shown up in our lives and what aspects and attributes remain stable.
 
If you asked your family and friends to tell you what they value about you, the essence of how they see you, you might be surprised to hear the consistency of the descriptions.
 
September feels like a seesaw to me. Nostalgia for what was and excitement for what is ahead switching places in my mind. I value both, I welcome the memories and look forward to making new ones.
 
As you can see from the many activities awaiting you in our region, there are ample choices for both discovering something new and perhaps deepening something from the past.
 
Whichever you choose, remember how easy it is to switch lenses for new perspectives and discoveries.
 
Happy September!
Rebecca

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NWCCA’s Collaboration with Town Hall

Abacus: A Play about Consciousness and Caregiving
Duane Kelly and Katie Zeitler with Rebecca Crichton
Monday, September 16, 7:30 PM, The Medhi Reading Room, Town Hall Seattle
1119 8th Avenue, Seattle
$10 – $35 sliding scaleJoin award-winning local playwright Duane Kelly, Katie Zeitler, Program Manager for Dementia Friends Washington at the University of Washington Memory and Brain Wellness Center, and NWCCA ED Rebecca Crichton in discussion about Duane’s newest play Abacus, premiering this September 19 – 28 at Seattle’s West of Lenin Theatre. 

Click here for more details and ticket info.

Food and Finality
Discussions facilitated by Rebecca Crichton around death and dying, grief and loss, discussions that honor and acknowledge the discomfort, judgments, confusion and other emotions that these topics can engender.
Rebecca creates and holds the space with the intention that everybody is included and feels safe.
Click here to learn more