About ALICE AND DAN: A Marriage of True Minds
Dear Cathedral,
Many years ago, a Roman Catholic nun by the name of Alice fell in love with a young man named Dan. She left her religious life and they were married. Both became artists, and Dan also became a psychologist.
When Alice began to lose her memory, she made Dan promise that he would never put her away in a nursing home, but I could see that Dan was struggling to care for her as the years went by. Knowing that he was exhausted to the point of no return, I encouraged Dan to place Alice in a memory unit. We both prayed a lot. One day Dan realized that he had to break his promise, for she was no longer truly safe at home. Just keep praying, I said.
Dan dreaded taking Alice to the nursing home. He was certain that she would be upset and not feel at home. Alice sat in her new room and a bell went off as they do in nursing homes to signify the changing of hours or time for dinner. “Oh!” Alice said joyfully, “There’s the bell for chapel!” Alice was convinced that she was back in the convent, and she was happy as a clam. She stayed there until the day that she died.
Last week, Jay Wright hung a beautiful exhibition of the artwork and photography of Dan and Alice Hadwin. I hope that you will come by and see the love that they had for one another and for life itself. Dan is now retired from psychology but continues to take incredible photographs.
In Christ’s love,
Kate+