Rachel Clarke was an NHS doctor who wrote a book titled Dear Life. In this book, she describes how she met a man called Michael, who taught her a lesson on love.
Michael was her patient who had a heart condition. He came with a complicated chest problem. According to Dr Clarke, it was a very serious issue that resulted in the pacemaker on Michael’s chest, dangling out from a hole in his chest, covered in blood and puss. It was a horror and an eyesore, said Dr Clarke.
Why did Michael allow his health to deteriorate this bad without seeking medical attention earlier? Why did he neglect himself up to this point? Why did he decide to come when the infection had festered and exploded like a rotten fruit? Dr Clarke was angry at Michael, but she was calm enough to ask Michael the when and the why questions surrounding his circumstance.
It happened that Michael’s pacemaker had a new battery some weeks earlier, and shortly after, there was redness and pain around the stitches, but he ignored them with the hope that they would go away. But it swelled and reddened as his heart throbbed day after day. Yet, he didn’t go to the hospital. Then the question, why?
Michael was concerned with something that meant more to him than his own heart, his 60 years old wife. He was the sole carer of his wife, who was diagnosed with dementia three years earlier. His wife depended on him to do her cooking, washing, bathing, dressing, as well as soothing her. His care and love for his wife made him not to think of himself and his health. He couldn’t bear seeing his wife in a care home, so he decided to bear the pain.
It was until that morning when he felt his skin rip and his shirt drenched in puss that he was forced to go to the hospital. He endured to the point when his pacemaker bursted, exposing his ribs.
Even while at the hospital, he was frightened, confused, broken, and weeping as he was explaining the reason behind his delay in seeking medical attention. He lamented that his wife must have been taken to a care home, which was his initial.
Overwhelmed by the exceptional love, Dr Clarke realized he had met a man who had shown love beyond her comprehension. That’s the power of true love!
Most of us are familiar with the words of Jesus in the bible and his teachings about love. It is one of the teachings every christian child learns by heart, the two commandments of Jesus, to love God and to love our neighbour.
Love in this article entails a lot. It is a love that dominates our emotions, a love that directs our thoughts and decisions, a love that guides our every action and a love that teaches and inspires. It is the unconditional love. It is in our interest and the interest of humanity to love everyone. One who claims to love God without loving his neighbour in a practical way is deceiving himself because both love work hand in hand. Again, our prayers to God mean little if we do not live a life of love.
The story of Michael demonstrates the true meaning of love and the true essence of humanity. One who truly loves does so sometimes, unconsciously to his detriment.
Love begins at home, in school, and everywhere we find ourselves, from infancy to adulthood. Parents, teachers, and guardians need to inculcate the true meaning and essence of love on every child through teaching, living, and demonstrating love.
*BIBLE VERSE*
*1 John 4:8 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God*
*PROVERB*
*A day lasts until it’s chased away but love lasts until the grave*
*Irish proverb*
*RIDDLE*
*I can break, I can be clogged, I can be attacked, I can be given, I can be kept, I can be crushed, yet I can be a whole at the same time*
*What am I*
*Amara Ann Unachukwu*
