The Rain

It was a busy
morning, about 8:30, when an elderly

gentleman in his 80's 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.

The

happiest people don't necessarily

have the best of everything;

they just make
the best of everything they have.