If There's No One Beside You, When Your Soul Embarks, Then I'll Follow You Into The Dark...

I don't do this often. This blog is mostly things that I see and lists that I make. But today I want to tell you a story. A love story to be exact.

Picture an elderly man who has been in love with his wife for more than fifty years. He loved her when she was the sassy young woman who was as warm hearted as she was quick with her wit and he loves her now as she struggles to remember who she is and who the man in the house is. Everyday he gets her up and gives her a bath and makes her breakfast- all done with pure love. He takes care of her until the caregiver comes and relieves him although he never leaves his wife's side. When people say that he should put her in a home, he says that as long as he is living, he will never put her in a home. She will stay with him- thats home.

One day the old man is in the garage cleaning things up and he has a nasty fall and breaks his ankle and foot. He knows that he he could press the button on the device that calls 911 that he has with him in his pocket. But he doesn't use it. Instead he uses all his might and drags himself to the kitchen to get to the phone. He calls and leaves a message with the caregiver that she should come quickly so that she can stay with his wife while he goes to the hospital. By the time he has reached the phone she is almost there- it took him an hour to get from the garage to the kitchen.

When the caregiver gets there she immediately calls 911 and they take him to the hospital. And when they ask him why he didn't use the emergency device to call 911. He simply says, "I didn't want to leave my wife alone with no one there at the house for her." So he waited because his love for his wife was greater than his physical pain.

And there you have it- ultimate love. A love that everyone should be so lucky to have. My mom's godfather had to have two surgeries on his foot and ankle and now has two pins holding everything together. He is doing better and has assured everyone that he will be up on crutches soon and will be back to his house crutches and all.

All I could think when I heard that story was that man is my hero. I have never known a more beautiful person.