It’s the same story.
But the teller, in this case my mom, does not show signs of any recollections. She is a sociable 90 years old. Her genuine enthusiasm in sharing the story as if it was the first time, probably true in her mind as she does not recall much at her advancing age, has me struggling.
Do I pretend I am hearing it for the first time? Inform her that she already shared the story umpteenth times? Or distract her to some other topics? Obviously, I am having problem finding the path forward whenever my conversation with my mom gone down this route. Each time I feel bad afterwards about how I handled the situation.
Faking interest is not my forte, and I don’t feel I can pull it off with my mom. The textbook solutions of patience and genuine interest worked at first, but they have since worn out their grooves. Being rude or direct won’t work either. It will just make me feel bad, and she won’t remember it the next time around.
This struggle (or guilt) I have is because I know there is no greater love than parental’s. What my parent have done for me begets my unconditional effort to find a win-win solution. This is true especially, when I am patient to my kids, but why not with my mom?
Do you have similar experiences with aging parents?
Running with Buddha 