“This week, I am sharing with you wonderful people a story that a friend of mine shared on our social chat platform. I believe we can pick a thought from it.”
It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly man in his 80’s arrived in the hospital 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 be able to attend him. I saw he kept looking at his watch and i decided to attend to him since I was not busy with other patients. On examination, I realized his wound was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his stitches 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 elderly man responded 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.’
The lady said she had to hold back tears as he left, and she had goose bumps on her arm, and thought, ‘That is the kind of love I want in my life’
“Dear people of God, true love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be. I believe the happiest people do not necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.”
“As we warm ourselves into this New Year, let us believe that true love conquers all things. Let us develop genuine love for our families, friends and associates. Our world, our lives and our year will not be as wonderful as we want it if people do not learn to love and give off all of themselves for others. Let us be sensitive to the people in our lives who do not know what is going on around them. Let us left a loving hand every day to help someone in need.”
Fr. Dominic Yamoah is a Catholic Priest from the Catholic Diocese of Konongo-Mampong. He has been a priest for 18years serving God’s people in diverse way. The above reflection is a fruit of Fr. Dominic Yamoah’s ministry in St. Clare Catholic Church in Clarinda, and its sister churches in IOWA, UNITED STATE OF America. ‘the sacrifices we make for love are never in vain’ (Fr. Dominic Yamoah).
Keep Fr. Dominic Yamoah in your daily Prayers.
