My 96-year-old grandmother's memory is failing.

She thinks I'm her cousin and asks me about long-gone relatives in pre-war Poland. Or that she's in Europe. Or that she's still in her sixties.

She asks me multiple times if I've eaten already.

But more than anything, she expresses love.

She looks me in the eyes, smiles tenderly, and says, "I love you!"

And when I tell her "I love you" back, she says, "Not as much as I love you!"

It's as if the cognitive and mental frameworks that have held her life together are falling away, and what remains behind them is the bare, foundation.

Which is clearly made of emotions.

Love, warmth, and a strong desire to see the people she cares for happy, thriving, healthy.

I feel immensely fortunate to be able to share these moments with her before she passes on.

But I also see this as a profound lesson in human psychology.

It's emotions that give meaning to life.

A feeling of belonging and security at home.

A feeling of purpose and appreciation at work.

A feeling of self-actualization and progress within.

And, of course, love.

If you haven't done so already, please tell someone close to you how much you care for them.

Ask my 96-year-old grandmother.

She'll tell you that that's what matters when all is said and done.

-Ben Wise