When our children are small, we constantly suggest they share their toys with their friends… we say or imply sharing is caring.

My interpretation of the Maria Montessori method of teaching children through play was sharing should not be forced, but would happen naturally when the child felt safe and that they can trust the other person or child. Subsequently, I never forced my children to share against their will. However, I did encourage them to share their love and concern for others, and the side benefit of this is they would share their things, willingly, with many of their friends.

On occasions, some of my adult friends with small children were offended and annoyed by this, as I would not force my kids to share with theirs when together. The question I used to ask the adult was this: Would you share your most precious jewellery with everyone? To our children, some of their toys are their most precious possessions.

Through blogging, I have been sharing my heart and soul with the world. This was ‘accidental’ as although I suppose I knew a website is ‘global’, it started as a chat to family and friends, and as a way of recording my world to set up a memory bank. I did not fully comprehend the power of the internet. Unfortunately, and most bloggers who ‘bare their souls online’ will relate to this, some readers give us a lot of negative feedback, including disagreeing with what we write, about how we feel. Writing about politics or other factual stuff deserves critique – writing about how we feel may deserve comments, but not too negative or harsh as it is merely our feelings we write about. And they are very real to us. Feelings are not based on factual academic reasoning, but are very real to the person who is feeling them. They may not seem irrational to others, but at the time, they are very real to us.

Most people with dementia, other terminal illness or trauma who write are not trying to elicit sympathy by sharing their journeys. I write to heal, and to record my world, but I also now write to teach. I do not need sympathy. I am not a victim of dementia. I am not a sufferer of dementia. I am merely attempting to write about what it is like, for me, to live with the symptoms and diagnosis of dementia. There are hundreds of books, articles and blogs, written by professionals, academics and carers, instructing me on what it is like, how it feels, what it will be/should be like. I am simply blogging about my lived experience. I am also sharing my personal journey of dementia as a way of caring for others.

Richard Taylor has been sharing his ride on the dementia train almost since diagnosis, and this has literally helped thousands of people who are facing either the diagnosis themselves, or the diagnosis of someone they love. His book Alzheimer’s From The Inside Out, is well worth reading. It is honest, brave and very instructive. His willingness to open his heart, take the risk of being knocked down by the dis-believers, and share openly and honestly is the ultimate form of caring. He has been in my thoughts daily as he faces the onslaught of chemotherapy and radiotherapy for his cancer. Go well Richard, and thank you for your sharing and caring.