"But I Know Who She Is"

Last Wednesday my mom turned 84 and was admitted to the hospital - her mobility about gone. The stress of traveling back and forth to see her (100 miles each way) and trying to keep the rest of plates spinning is really starting to wear on me.

I found great encouragement tonight in an unlikely place - McDonald's. First, my girls were ecstatic to be with their mom and dad in their favorite restaurant. Second, an acquaintance came up to me while I was standing in line to order and gave me $20 and said "Dinner's on me." Third, and most significantly, we struck up a conversation with a gentleman in his early 80's.

He told us that yesterday was his 55th wedding anniversary, but his bride - who suffered from Alzheimer's - had died three years ago. He spent the last several years feeding her and attending to every other need, even though she had no idea who he was.

A friend scoffed at his devotion, asking, "Why do you keep going to visit her and taking care of her every day? She doesn't even know who you are."

"But I know who she is," he replied.

That's what it's about - this thing we flippantly, misguidedly call love. That devotion is much like the Savior's. We didn't even know who he was, but he knew us - and expressed his devotion in the most matchless way.