那天早晨医院里挺忙。大约在八点半的时候，来了一个老头。看上去他有八十多了，他是为了要拆除他大拇指上次手术所缝的线来医院的。他说因为他在九点的时候还要办另一件要紧的事，希望快一点就能拆线。

    我看到他那真诚的表情，又知道他至少要等一个小时才能轮到，我就请他先坐下。我注意到他不断地在看錶，显得有点着急。那时，我手上正好没有其他的病人，于是我就为他先检查了一下他的伤口。看到他 的伤口已经完全痊愈，处理比较简单，我就请另外一个医生预备必要的医药器材，就为他清理伤口和拆线。

    当我在为他的伤口做处理的时候，我就问他，“你这样着急，是不是待会儿还要去看另外一个医生？”他说“不是的。我每天要到老人院与我的太太共进早餐。”听说她在老人院里受人的看顾和服侍，我就问他“她的身体如何？”

    他告诉我，“因为她是个老年痴呆症患者，生活无法自理，所以她在那里已经有一段时间了。”

    我问他，“如果你迟到一会儿，你太太是不是会不高兴？”

    “她已经有五年不知道我是谁了。”

    “她已经不知道你是谁了，你还是每天早晨与她共进早餐吗？”

    他一边微笑一边轻轻地拍拍我的手说，”她现在确实不知道我是谁了，可我永远知道她是谁啊！”

    听他这么一说，我顿时浑身颤抖，强忍我的眼泪。我真希望我生活中也有这样的爱。

    真正的爱不是因为有漂亮的形象，也不是因为有一段罗曼史；真正的爱不仅是爱对方的现在，接受对方的现在；也毅然决定爱对方的过去和将来，无论有什么变化都愿意接受对方已经有的和将来会出现的。

    快乐的人们不是因为有了世界上最好的一切；而是把已经有的变成了最美好的。

    生活不是怎样才能在大风大浪中求生存，而是怎样才能在风雨里得到欢乐！

讨论问题：

1. 你对这个故事有什么看法？

2. 根据这个故事，什么是“真爱”？ 做起来容易还是难？

3. 你认为在你的社区里人们有这种关系吗？ 为什么或者为什么不？

4. 这篇文章是不是改变了你对爱情的看法？

      It was a busy morning, about 8:30 a.m., when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived at the hospital to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry because he had an appointment at 9:00 a.m.

      I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would be 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 examining it, I determined that 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 because he did this everyday. 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 knows who he is, and that she has not recognized him for five years. 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 from storms, but how to dance in the rain.

Discussion Questions:

1. What are your thoughts about this story?

2. What is 'true love' according to this story?  Would it be easy or difficult to do?

3. Do you think people have this kind of relationship in your community?  Why or why not?

4. How did this article change your thinking about love?