Love like that

I heard someone say something today that made me stop and listen. Listen to a conversation that I wasn’t invited to.

I’m glad I did.

A young woman was talking to her friend. They were both rather somber and stern looking so to hear these words come from her was what made me take notice.

“I want to be loved like that!”

They were talking about the girls grandmother. Apparently, the woman is losing a battle with cancer and is awaiting the end in the comfort of her home.

More importantly, she is awaiting the end with her husband of 43 years.

I listened as the girls talked of a man who is lost. A man who is scared. A man who is putting the needs and comfort of his lifelong companion ahead of his own.

He wakes each day and feeds his wife. He then gives her the first of many doses of medications. Watching my own loved ones battle, I can imagine those pills: pills for pain, pills to help combat anemia, pills that carry the deadly chemo to her cells.

Then he gives her a morning bath. The girl described a tiny, frail woman that weighs less than a hundred pounds. But at his older, weakened state, lifting her is a chore.

Their day is filled with trips to doctors, careful monitoring of her oxygen levels and him dutifully and lovingly feeding, dressing, bathing, brushing her hair, reading to her and taking her to sit on the porch.

Apparently, he sits each afternoon and reads the paper to her. Making little comments and joking about the content that he’s shared with her.

And he does all this for a woman that no longer remembers him.

She lashes out some days because she’s being handled by a stranger. She sits quietly most days because she doesn’t know how to react to this man she’s never met. Her mind won’t let her remember the 43 years of life she’s shared with him.

And still, he gets up, takes care if his bride and does so without complaint.

“I want to be loved like that.”

I think it’s a dream we all have and only a few are lucky enough to find it. Only a select handful are able to recognize that we have it when we do.

I can relate to that girl.

“I want to be loved like that!”

I’m glad it’s bright and sunny and we all chose to sit outside. I was protected from the prying eyes of strangers behind my sunglasses. As I heard this girls story, I too started to feel a tear coming on.

As any good butch would do, I gathered my trash, picked up my coffee and headed towards the truck to leave. But the whole time I not only thought, “I want to be loved like that” but I want to make sure that I love like that in return!