About Me

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Delta, British Columbia, Canada
I took very early retirement from teaching in '06 and did some traveling in Europe and the UK before settling down to do some private tutoring. As a voracious reader, I have many books waiting in line for me to read. Tell me I shouldn't read something, and I will. I'm a happy, optimistic person and I love to travel and through that believe that life can be a continuous learning experience. I'm looking forward to traveling more some day. I enjoy walking, cycling, water aerobics & and sports like tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch/baseball. I'm just getting into photography as a hobby and I'm enjoying learning all the bits and bobs of my digital camera. My family is everything to me and I'm delighted to be the mother of two girls and the Gramma of a boy and a girl. I may be a Gramma, but I'm at heart just a girl who wants to have fun.

Monday, January 04, 2010

Attitude Adjustment for a Gloomy Day

Today is the first day back at school. It's dark, gloomy, and pouring rain. Depressing. I wanted to do a post about rain, but thought I'd already done one at some point in time. Upon checking, I came upon this one that I'd posted November 1, 2008. It's certainly worth sharing again as it made me rethink my attitude about how depressing the day appears right now.

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. True love is an 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 they have.

Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

9 comments:

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

I remember this post very well indeed ...Yes I must think about Dancing in the RAin,,

Anonymous said...

I am not surprised you wanted to re-publish this post because it's beautiful, and very thought-provoking. What an amazing marriage that man must have had.

Best wishes, CJ xx

Rosaria Williams said...

I came in from Fat Frumpy and Fifty. This post made me cry, and made me very very very happy! Thanks.

Tamara Jansen said...

Nothing like losing something to make you appreciate what you had. Too bad it has to be taken first :(

Lone Grey Squirrel said...

Drats! It made me cry the last time too.

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