Real Love: through the eyes of a daughter

My dad is sick. My dad is very sick. My mom is by his side. My mom is tired but she is wholey devoted to seeing that my dad is taken care of. That equals love. You think you know what love is? You don't. You don't know what it means to really give of your whole self until that person is completely unable to give back and you keep giving. My mother, loves my father.
Sometimes I cry, not because I'm afraid my father will soon see Jesus (though that happens often), but because I'm in the light of real love... and it's overwhelming.

I sat in the hospital room with my mama watching her stroke my father's hair singing hymns to him. She had been there all night and would be there again sleeping on a poor excuse of a chair. We both sang the hymns that popped into our heads as to not leave much space between the songs. He wouldn't respond to much but those songs. It was almost as if these words and melodies were the only drug that brought relief. We sang many of our favorites then we started with Rock of Ages.

Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee

She got to that last verse and choked through the sobs of that moment and many moments past. She never stopped holding my papa's hand that said to him I love you. I loved you then. I love you now. I will love you forever. I doubt he knew we were there at times but it mattered not.

My mother loves my father.