Mom and Dad

You taught me as your daughter
The meaning of life,
To stop and look all around me,
To reach for the stars and
Appreciate everything that life has to offer.

You taught me as your daughter
The meaning of love,
To have compassion for others and myself,
Listen, learn and understand
Everyday is a gift of life.

You taught me as your daughter
The meaning of death,
To brave its storm and understand
That life is a full circle.

You taught me as your daughter
The meaning of life, love and death
And, not fear them, but embrace them
And pass to my children,
Your grandchildren
The circle of life, love and death.

Deborah Tornillo
Author, “36 Days Apart”
http://www.authorsden.com/dtornillo

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Deborah Tornillo

Deborah Tornillo was born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas by her loving and nurturing parents. She attended the University of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where she studied Art. After marrying, raising two daughters and enjoying life with her family, Deborah joined a higher calling by committing to be the primary caregiver for her parents, both of whom were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in February 2006. In her new collection of memoirs, 36 Days Apart: A memoir of a daughter, her parents and the Beast named – Alzheimer’s: A story of Life, Love and Death, Deborah chronicles the time spent taking care of her mother and father. 36 Days Apart recounts this painful, enlightening journey, and Tornillo writes candidly about the struggles and fears she faced as her parents’ caregiver. As their disease progressed, Tornillo was faced with the difficult task of learning how to be a parent to her own parents. Through the year and a half of caring for them she extensively researched Alzheimer’s in order to provide the best care possible, all the while knowing that the disease would eventually win in the end. 36 Days Apart gives an honest, unflinching look at the realities of caring for and losing loved ones to Alzheimer’s. Tornillo gives the reader an inside look into the day-to-day life she faced during her heartbreaking, difficult time.

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