In a recent radio interview about Creative Spaces, I related the story of Nancy and the garden urn to Marjorie, the host presenter on Radio St. Austell Bay. This story is about one of several meaningful moments which led to the creation of the Creative Spaces project.
Seven years ago, we ran an activity afternoon for a group of Cornwall Care residents and staff. As part of the activity, everyone had selected an image relating to outdoors and was asked to describe why that particular image was important to them. Nancy had chosen an image of a garden urn; she liked the way it had been made and it's shape. As the conversation progressed she compared it's shape to stages in life. This is what she said:
This is like when you're born (the base of the urn). As your life fills with friends, husband, children, houses and things it gets fuller (the body of the urn). Then you grow older; your children leave home, your husband dies, friends move away (the tapering of the urn's neck) and you move to a smaller home and of course this (the open top of the urn) - this is when death releases you.
Her words demonstrated she had re-connected with her life and made a connection with us....and all through a photograph of a garden urn. It made me think....if this could happen through a picture, imagine what strong connections people with dementia could make with other people, through meaningful conversations, in outdoor environments where features/landscapes/activities are real, where they can be immersed in sensory and social stimulation?
Marjorie was moved by Nancy's story and asked if she could write a poem based upon it. She connected with Nancy through hearing the story and strengthened that connection through writing this poem. In reading it you are also,in a way, connected with these women. I wonder how far these connections will spread?
I
gaze at photo of Urn.
Is
it Greek or Roman
Or
modern!
They
once made pots to hold wine and oil.
Now
I see story of my Life. Birth
in
the Base molded by Mother.
Development
of Childhood.
Gradually
widening in experience.
The
child grows, learns each day
Storing
facts on the way.
Then
teenage years of joy and pain
Memories
flood back again.
Marriage,
husband and wife
Curve
of Pot brings fullness of Life.
Children
come as the years progress,
filling
the urn with happiness.
Experience
and work takes its toll
Like
the pot, years pass in a roll.
The
Urn narrows.
Children
flee the nest.
Time
for more peace and rest.
Of
feeding bird, watch flowers in garden.
Funneling
back to Spiritual realms
The
Urn..symbolic of Life's rich pattern.
Wendy
Creative Spaces Project Manager
