An Alzheimer's Analogy

The Story of Mr. Calapitter

~By Kevin Kestner~ (in honor of my dad who passed away from Alzheimer's on New Year's Day this year)

Once upon a time there lived a little calapitter.

He was very kind and also quite a busy little critter.

He crawled around from plant to plant while munching on the leaves,

His munching made a pattern like a weaver when he weaves.

As far as calapitters go he didn’t lead the pack.

He came from ordinary folks and grew up near the tracks.

He was a rather handsome guy and also very kind,

And a more ambitious worker you are never going to find.

One day he met a pretty calapitter near his home.

They fell in love... got married... and had some calapitters of their own.

Life went on... and life was good, their home was filled with love.

Their joy came straight from heaven... and was based upon God’s love.

As time marched on the kids grew up... and then they all moved out.

Mr. Calapitter and his lovely wife would travel all about.

They traveled near and far to see the world which God had made.

They traveled life together in the sunshine… and the shade.

But then one day a change began in Mr. Calapitter’s mind,

Words began eluding him... and things were hard to find.

Forgetfulness became a part of each and every day.

Easy things became real hard… harder than words can say.

With each new thing that he forgot... a thread began to grow.

Soon many threads of forgetfulness on him began to show.

The threads began to look just like a little silvery shawl.

It covered up his shoulders so they couldn’t be seen at all.

During all this time Mrs. Calapitter took real good care of him.

For he was still the love of her life… which he had always been.

No amount of forgetfulness could ever dim their flame,

The love between the two of them would always stay the same.

As years crept by the shawl would grow into a little cover,

And as his wife took care of him… she knew he’d always love her.

And then one night forgetfulness... closed his eyes for the very last time.

It seemed as though his poetic life had finally lost its rhyme.

But this was NOT the end of Mr. Calapitter’s story!

No it was just the beginning as this change led into glory!

No longer would he need those legs like a normal calapitter guy.

Because he’d changed into a Flutterby!! And he could really FLY!!

The change in him was nothing short of a miracle to behold.

Instead of walking on little legs... he’ll fly above streets of gold!

Don’t weep for Mr. Calapitter… he’s safe from this life’s harms.

He’s now a new Creation in our Heavenly Father’s arms. 

“Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

I Corinthians 15:54-55