For many years, I wondered how a person with dementia perceives the world—how they see, how they understand their surroundings, how they feel when they learn about their loved ones, and how difficult it can become to speak. I remember how my grandmother forgot me. She looked at me as though she were seeing me for the first time. She didn’t know who I was, and yet her honest smile made me feel like we were family. I will never forget that moment. I can only hope her mind was as beautiful as her beloved flower gardens. ‘Gardens’ 18x24cm Oils on canvas