Like many Portuguese grandmothers, photographer Rui Costa’s grandmother lives in a rural area. Although a widow, she lives with relatives who love her and who are used to her presence, living their lives in a hustle and bustle that has become practically automatic. “One way or another, we all end up being more oblivious to our elderly relatives,” explains the Lisbon-area nature photographer to P3. It is not uncommon for the cloud of dread that sometimes forms over the heads of those who carry “the weight of time, trials, saturation, weariness, and loss of abilities typical of advanced age” to pass unnoticed. “And when we realize that cloud is there, we realize that we could and should have been more available, caring, and more present.”
In light of this result, Roy Costa He decided to spend more time with his grandmother, an experience he says greatly improved the quality of life for both of them. Grandmother and grandson began to take part seriously in long walks, home meals, and many stories from past and present, but not only; Share now the story told in photographic project Blue embroidered olivewhich has a grandson as an author and a grandmother as a hero and who has been shown on the walls a novelin Lisbon, until April 15th.
Grandma grew up in the countryside. He married and had three daughters and more grandchildren whom he cared for most of his life. “She was always a generous woman, dedicated to work and taking care of everyone,” says Rui Costa, who spent most of her childhood with her grandmother. “She had always lived intensely all the problems of the family, every disorder, and was always committed to solving everyone’s problems. Perhaps the loss of physical capabilities or connection within the family made her feel, over the years, less useful, perhaps she felt more isolated, more worn out.” Roy thought a little more love might make her feel better; He was not mistaken.
“Sometimes I would just listen to what she had to tell me and notice that it contributed to a more positive balance in her mood.” Over time, the activities they shared helped the grandmother lose some of the weight that was limiting her movements, preventing her from enjoying her garden, which she had practically given up on. “You could see that he was feeling better, that he moved more, that he was more careful about his diet. The project helped bring us closer together, to create more memories together.”
Spending time with seniors is, in the opinion of the 33-year-old photographer and pharmacist, a tangible thing for most people. “It’s a matter of organization,” he notes. “Sometimes it’s not about the amount of time we spend with them, but the quality. Sharing ten minutes a day with someone may seem like a small thing, but it makes that person feel loved, and cared for.” He describes the project, which he developed over several months, as “a story of overcoming difficulties”. “I will never do a project with greater motivation than this,” he concludes. “We must honor people while they are here, so that in life they will know how much they are loved. This is my tribute to my grandmother.”
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