> It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman 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.
> 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 and 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 as she is 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.
> Peace is seeing a sunset and knowing who to thank. 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.
