Philanthropy Associate and and Programs Assistant, Ann Sandefur, recommends And Every Morning The Way Home Gets Longer and Longer by Fredrik Backman.
This is a tiny book packed with joy, love and bittersweet heartache. It is the story of a man and his grandson, Noah. As the days pass, Noah keeps growing and Grandpa’s mind is shrinking. Grandpa attempts to help Noah understand, and to be there to see him laugh and to spend time with him, that he should have spent with his own son, Ted.
He realizes his time is short and his mind is closing in, and that he will not be around much longer. He needs Noah to help him remember Grandma, as he cannot bear the thought of losing what little he has left of her.
Alzheimer’s disease is an unfortunate reality for many people today. Fredrik Backman gives a glimpse of insight into what a person might be going through as they fight the disease.
“My memories are running away from me, my love, like when you try to separate oil and water. I am constantly reading a book with a missing page, and it is always the most important one.”
As Grandpa’s condition worsens, fear becomes a recurring undercurrent. Grandpa worries about forgetting Grandma and about leaving Noah before he dies. Noah observes that Grandpa’s “way home” is getting longer every morning.
Grandpa compares his brain to a fading star.
The book ends in a hospital room with Noah, Ted, and Grandpa, with Noah assuring Grandpa to tie a string around his wrist so he can keep hold of a balloon when he falls asleep and when he gets scared he can pull on the string and Noah will pull him back. Every time.
The book is short and it is a wonderful story showing a gentle way of dealing with aging and Alzheimer’s and a way to let us learn to let go.
