The meaning of true love

mubarak (63)in #writing • 6 years ago

Quoted from a story circulating via social media:

That morning the clinic was very busy.
Around 9:30 a.m., a 70-year-old grandfather came to open the stitches on the wound on his thumb.
I prepared the file and asked him to wait, because all the doctors were still busy and maybe he could only be handled at least another hour.

While waiting, the old man seemed restless, glancing intermittently at his watch.
I feel pity. So when I was free, I took the time to examine the wound. It seems pretty good, it's dry and just open the stitches and put on a new bandage.
Not too difficult work, so that with the approval of the doctor, I decided to do it myself.

While handling the wound, I asked him if he had another appointment until he seemed in a hurry.
The old man replied "no". He wanted to go to a nursing home for lunch with his wife, as he did everyday.

He told me that his wife had been treated there for some time and his wife had Alzheimer's disease.
Then I asked if his wife would be angry if she arrived late. He replied that his wife could no longer recognize him since the last 5 years. I was very surprised and said,

"Do you still go there every day even though your wife doesn't know anymore?"

He smiled as his hand patted my hand and said, He doesn't recognize me anymore, but I still recognize him, right ...?

I continued to hold back tears until the grandfather left. True love is not physical or romantic.
True love is accepting what is happening now, what has happened, what will happen, and what will never happen.

For me this experience also conveyed an important message: The happiest people don't have to have all the best things, but can do the best they have.