I imagine walking into a room that I’ve walked into a hundred times before.

I no longer recognize it.

It’s as if someone has rearranged the furniture, and removed a few items in the process.

I confuse time and space.

I don’t remember important family events and even deny they happened.

Familiarity is foggy and eventually loses its place altogether.

I can’t remember what I did 15 minutes ago never mind yesterday.

I can’t find my words, like I can’t find my slippers which I believe someone has stolen.

Perhaps the same person or persons who have rearranged my furniture.

It feels like someone is stealing everything from me - my thoughts, my words, my memory.

It’s a cruel form of identity theft.

And there is no way to get it back.

A life erased.

​

Joanne Filletti