You're old. I love you. Here's why.

Reason #10 Why I Love Old People: The older you get, the younger I look. You're 83 years old and just told me you & your 89-year old husband thought I must be a teenager. Aww, shucks. Thanks for letting such a young kid interview & examine you.

Reason #9: You are blind. "It's so NICE to see a pretty girl here in the hospital!" I blush. By the way, you are also female.

Reason #8: You are warm. Your husband warmly shakes my hand after the intern & I share the diagnosis & treatment plan for your upcoming hospital admission. You hold out your hands to me...and give me a huge bear hug. I wish I could have done more to help and hope you don't have to stay in the hospital too long.

Reason #7: You don't complain when I feel for enlarged cervical lymph nodes & thyromegaly with my ice cold hands. You're wise enough to realize that my feeble efforts to warm my hands are no match for the bitter cold stored within them. You merely enthuse that my heart must be very, very warm. I think we both know it's more like boiling hot if my hands are any indication, but you wouldn't want to make me feel bad by telling me that.

Reason #6: I get to hear about your adventures in the jungle while you served in the military during the war. I'm not sure which war, since you are nearly a century old, but surely one that happened a long time ago and took place in a jungle. Where else could I hear about this?

Reason #5: You have a strong sense of humor. Your (insert important organ(s) name here) is/are failing and you might even die during this hospitalization. But you live for today & somehow maintain good humor in the face of what could/should be a purely unpleasant (at best) experience. You make me & other team members laugh with your jokes & endearing personality. This warms our hearts & makes us even sadder that you're sick.

It also makes us realize our lot isn't unbearable, even when we feel nearly broken on hour 29 of our 30 hour sleepless call shift. Thank you for this rare & precious gift.

Reason #4: You're enthusiastic about contributing to my education & helping me to develop into a competent physician. You're sick and feel like s*#%, yet allow me to thoroughly explore your body in search of your problem even though I'm the 3rd person to do it and won't be the last. If I happen to have a 1st year student with me you happily let him listen to your heart, lungs, & belly, too.

Reason #3: You get a kick out of surprising me. "I'm just going to take a listen to your belly," I say. "I'll hold up your blanket as a drape while you lift your gown to expose your abdomen." My eyes scan slowly down from your rib cage, past where I would expect a navel to be, and down to the area where your underwear may or may not be.

Wait, I think to myself, I must have missed the umbilicus. Be cool, he doesn't have to know. Scan again, more slowly this time, being careful not to scan too far down for the sake of modesty (this is the abdominal -- not the genital -- portion of the exam). "I don't have a belly button," you casually mention, your eyes dancing with pleasure in showing me something you're sure I've never seen.

Reason #2: You've been married 67 years. And you're still in love.

Reason #1 Why I Love Old People: You inspire me to keep traveling my chosen path in medicine during the darkest times when I question whether I can sustain the toll it takes on my body & mind. You are the reason I considered a career in medicine & you're one of the most important things that keeps me here. To say thanks seems small & insignificant, but at times it's the most I can do. I'll do my best to pay forward the many gifts you've shared with me. Thank you.

Michael Franti & Spearhead - "Say Hey (I Love You)" (mp3)

Mgmt - "Kids" (mp3)

R.E.M. - "E-Bow the Letter (live w/Thom Yorke)" (mp3)