Love begins when we grow old


On a recent trip back home, I happened to meet an elderly gentleman, whom we fondly call ,Uncle George I have not met for many years. I used to know him since I was a schoolboy. His greatest gift was his perpetual cheerfulness. As a matter of fact we have never seen him angry or sad. Because of this gift of his he was well liked by all, especially the children.

He now lives alone with his wife, both in their eighties, and spends all his time taking care of her, who is now handicapped due to an accident. He still cycles out to town several times a day to get food for himself and his wife.

I greeted him and invited him to join my wife and me for breakfast. His meal cost me just RM2.20. He told us about his family and his wife who happened to be rather sickly of late.We wished him well and left.

A week later I was surprised to receive a letter from him praising me and my wife with such fantastic words, praises that we don’t really deserve. The following paragraph in his letter really touched me and my wife. I quote,

“This year I am 86 and my wife is 82.If we can live till 28.12.06 we will be married for 60 years and we can live to celebrate our diamond jubilee. Yes, you know doctor true love begins when we grow old; I think I love my wife more than I first met her. But soon we will have to part”.

A mere two ringgit, few encouraging words and the willingness to listen was all that was needed to touch a life in the form of Uncle George. In return his invaluable experience of “TRUE LOVE” managed to touch us deeply. His experience in life is a reminder to us that love, contrary to what we think, never fades, it only grows with time.

This reinforces by fervent belief that there are still lot of good things in life that cannot be obtained with money and power and that, is the greatest gift of God to us.

Dr.Chris Anthony