How to Dance in the Rain
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 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.
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