Rain

It was a busy
morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman, probably in his 80s, arrived to have
stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an
appointment at 9:00 am.
I took his vital
signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone
would to able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I
was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was
well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to
remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of
his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as
he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to
the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her
health.

He told me that she had been there
for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease.

As we
talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.

He
replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in
five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every
morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?'

He smiled as he
patted my hand and said,

'She doesn't
know me, but I still know who she is.'

I had to hold back
tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought,

'That is
the kind of love I want in my life.'

True love is
neither physical, nor romantic.

True love is an
acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not
be.

With all the jokes
and fun that are in e-mails, sometimes there is one that comes along that has an
important message.. This one I thought I could share with you.

The
happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make
the best of everything they have.

I hope you share this with someone you
care about. I just did.

'Life isn't about
how to survive the storm,

But how to dance in the
rain.'