The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
What is true love? I couldn't let this one pass. It is so truly beautiful: It was a busy morning, approximately 8:30 a.m., when an elderly gentleman in his 80s arrived to have his stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in a hurry as he had another 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 got to him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On examination, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies and removed his stitches and redressed the wound. While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. I asked him if he had a another doctor's appointment this morning that he was in such a hurry to make. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I then 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 and I finished dressing the wound, I asked if she would be worried if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was and 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 the 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 acceptance of all that is, has been, will be and will not be. The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the best of everything that comes along! After that here is a chuckle: A guy sticks his head into a barber shop and asks, "How long before I can get a haircut?" The barber looks around the shop and says, "About two hours." The guy leaves. A few days later the same guy sticks his head in the door and asks, "How long before I can get a haircut?" The barber looks around the shop full of customers and says, "About three hours!" A week later this same guy sticks his head in the shop and asks, "How long before I can get a haircut?" The barber looks around the shop and says, "About an hour and a half!" The guy leaves. The barber looks over at a friend in the shop and says, "Hey Bill, do me a favour will 'ya? Follow that guy and see where he goes. He keeps asking how long he has to wait for a haircut but then he doesn't come back!" A little while later Bill comes back to the shop, laughing hysterically. The barber asks, "Bill, where did he go when he left here?" Bill looks up, tears in his eyes and says, "your house!" Have a great weekend!
