32: a love story

It just kind of hit that it's already 2011, and since I started this weak attempt to blog in 2008 this is the year to wrap it up. Then all I need to figure out is how to preserve this for me and delete it off the interwebs. In an attempt to increase my postings I'll make more of an effort to dig up old material. This one probably should've been published closer to Valentine's day (or the alternative singles appreciation day), at least I'm still in the month of February.

There are many faces you see in the hospital. Some look scared. Some look tired. Some become familiar as they linger on floor four waiting for whatever comes next. There have been many memorable encounters over my years there but not often is there a love story behind the people I see. More often than not the people there are alone, waiting, perhaps hoping for a visitor. I don't know what the statistics are that you'll be admitted to a hospital around the same time as your elderly spouse for entirely different causes. But it must be nice to be able to be there at the same time with someone who has done life with you going through the same thing. Ok, maybe nice isn't quite the right word as I mean it in more of a comforting way.

I didn't know you were one half of a pair when you first requested to eat your dinner outside in the hallway. It may seem a bit odd, but understandable as the hallway is the social watering hole of a hospital floor if you don't count the almost always empty "lounge" at one end. Sitting outside could guarantee interaction with others who may pass your way. Then you told me your reason for sitting outside was that you could spend time with your wife who was not so conveniently located in a room across the hall. There you were, the two of you eating your pureed food sitting across from one other. Close enough to see the other, but not quite close enough to touch.

I wonder what your story is, like how long have you been together? Guessing by your age it's safe to say you two have spent more than half your lives together, yet you don't seem tired of each other. You still seek out the other person's companionship. You still enjoy being in each other's presence. Your love for each other is evident. Old people in love are absolutely adorable, and it gives me hope that there is such a thing as love that lasts a life time. I'm sure this old pair have gone through their own shares of trials and tribulations but they've been able to come out together. They exemplify the kind of couples where each person makes the effort to choose the other person every day. Sure it's easier to just eat dinner alone in bed in front of a tv, the characters are probably more entertaining and you can pick and choose what you want to watch. Yet, this couple would rather sit there across from each other even though it's obvious their minds aren't as sharp as they used to be, their looks are no where near their prime, and they've had years of dinner conversations behind them.

Part of me wants this, someday.