My Mother.
This is my beautiful mother and my amazing sister. How different my life would be without them. For the last few years, things have been difficult for my mother. My sister and I have witnessed a deterioration in her wellbeing and last month she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s – at 64 years young. To see our only parent go through this has left our hearts heavy.
My Heart.
So lately, I have been listening more closely to what my heart has been trying to tell me. What I hear is “be an alchemist…use all that is going on (the joyful and the devastating), use your experiences, use what you’re good at, and use your passion for music, creativity, and connectedness, and turn this into something that can help others”.
My Walk.
My heart has been telling me to walk too. And far. So, I’ve decided to walk from Hobart to Launceston in an attempt to raise funds for getting music and music resources into aged care facilities and nursing homes across the State (e.g., iPods with personal playlists for residents, music programs, music therapy etc.). You see, when my sister and I play music with mum or we sing together, my heart melts. My mum comes alive. She becomes more of her true self. She reminds me to be more of my true self too.
My Truth.
Sometimes our hearts call for strange things. Too often we deny what our heart calls for because we get caught up in the self-doubts, the worries, the societal priming, and the over-analysing. Doing something like this is certainly anxiety provoking for me. I’m a bit terrified to be honest. But nothing ever grows from your comfort zone. And at the end of the day, I need to follow my heart. By doing so, I hope that this small act can spread some joy for those going through Alzheimer's or dementia, as well as their loved ones.
My Music.
The walk will conclude by arriving to perform two shows at the Devonport Jazz Festival on Friday 28 July. For those interested in being a part of this festival, see devonportjazz.com/Home
If you have any old iPods, CD players, or music resources that you would like to donate to this cause, please get in touch. I would love to hear from you!!
Thank you for your support. Any donation would be immensely appreciated.
Much love to you all.
Annia Baron
Top job ;) x