Wow! Metatron, what a powerful illustration of the power of the brain, even in senility.
While it's very sad, tragic even, it has a positive side to it, imo. And that is to show what amazing power the brain has to control us. What I mean is (and this is the import of Deepak Chopra's books I have) that if you take control of what programming we do to our brains is very important.
There is a study done in 1979 by Ellen Langer of Harvard Univ. wherein 2 groups of men were put into two separate retreats. One group
- was not allowed to have anything newer than 20 years old.
- The photographs, their IDs, the news, music, etc.
- Also, they had to speak as if they were 20 years younger.
At the end of the week, there were measureable physical effects that these men had because their brains had been programmed to believe they were 20 years younger. The control group didn't have these.
Your story, while sad, illustrates how powerful our beliefs and perceptions are. "Belief creates biology." Norman Cousins.
Thanks!!
Patio