Book excerpt: The life of a young man changes in many ways after his father who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease is placed in a nursing home's care. As the disease progresses, he loses the father as well as the family he had known. He must also help his mother, who has not accepted the disease's consequences. The son tries to find meaning in his visits with his father after his father becomes unresponsive, and he finds a spiritual connection. He clings to stories his father told and learns to value his heritage. He learns to let go when he visits his father alone for the last time and is drawn back to his mother by the grief they share. In the end, he finds a sense of relief from a final conversation.