True Love and Remembering

TRUE LOVE

It was approximately 8.30 a.m. on a busy morning when an elderly gentleman in his eighties arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9.00 a.m.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat. I knew it would take more than an hour before someone would be able to attend to him. I saw him check his watch anxiously for the time and decided to evaluate his wound since I was not busy with another patient.

On examination, the wound was well healed. Hence, I talked to one of the doctors to get the supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

We began to engage in a conversation while I was taking care of his wound. I asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment later as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no and said that he needed to go to the nursing home to have breakfast with his wife.

I inquired about her health. He told me that she had been in the nursing home for a while as she was a victim of Alzheimer’s disease. I probed further and asked if she would be upset if he was slightly late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was and she had not been able to recognize him some five years ago.

I asked him in surprise,  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 goose bumps on my arm, and I 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.

Remembering.     Ashley Campbell

Four years old running up the stairs to your bed
Thunder rolls and I pull the covers over my head
You say it's just a storm, enjoy the show
You take me to the window, show me that it's beautiful
Never had to ask you to sing for me
It's just the way to put me at ease

“Bone for bone we are the same
Bones get tired and they can't carry all the weight
We can talk until you can't even remember my name
Daddy don't you worry, I'll do the remembering
Daddy don't you worry, I'll do the remembering”

First guitar and I just wasn't getting it right
You showed me how to play it, said it doesn't happen overnight
And in a couple years I come home and show you how I play "Blackbird"
And though I miss a couple notes you still say
That it was the best you'd ever heard

Never had to ask you to smile for me
It's just the way you put me at ease
Bone for bone we are the same
Bones get tired and they can't carry all the weight
We can talk until you can't even remember my name
Daddy don't you worry, I'll do the remembering
Daddy don't you worry, I'll do the remembering

Now I have to ask you to sing for me
And I have to show you the words to sing
You're standing right in front of me and slipping away