Do you dance in the rain?
I received this story via email from my husband. We are near our 15th wedding anniversary, and his comment to me was “I’m so glad this is the kind of love that we share.”
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 redressed 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.
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.’
As I look at this email story, I am reminded of so many things. The most important though, is that God holds us and only expects us to learn to “Praise Him in the Storm” (like the Casting Crowns song). I think this is where we are living right now. I take great comfort in knowing that God has our days numbered; that the job my husband is searching for is being prepared solely for him.
My friends, I cannot tell you that I don’t struggle with the storms and that I am great at praising God in them. But I can tell you that each day, truthfully, is unto its own and I daily have to surrender. Some days I’m on the floor with my face buried in the carpet, other days I’m raising my hands asking Him “How long?”…but I refuse to do what the world wants—turn from God and walk away.
I am thankful that love is patient and steadfast. Have a blessed day!