A. Alzheimer’s disease affects the mind. Relationships and past memories may be erased from the memory. People who are affected by this disease lose their memories and may only have brief moments where they can remember their surroundings and close ones. But what they have gained from within—the connection to the Lord, the Divinity within, the answer to who am I, the ability to go within to deep inner peace—that cannot get affected. If you show them a picture, or image, of a Deity or the Lord, they will fold their hands and bow their heads in respect. They may not know the name of the Deity, but they know it is someone Divine. It is like the hard drive of a computer getting corrupted but is still able to connect to the internet. They can still dig in and get wisdom every day. They can talk about it, write about it, or write a poem, but they will then forget about it, as they cannot retain any memory. Their knowledge can come, be given and be gone. So, the essence of who they are and all the inner wealth that they have earned is with them permanently and is not affected by the mind that is being destroyed. Everything from the outside can be forgotten but not what you have learned from within. — Satish Daryanani
