Three. Six. Five.

Winter In May

I never wanted it to be that way.

But sadly it had to be.

If I could change how it was going to turn out, I would've done something. Anything. Just to have her just a little while longer.

Walking down a couple blocks going through Stanley Park, I noticed a man sitting by the bench under the tree near the bend going to the tunnel. It never occurred to me that somebody would be out this long in this weather. It was an usual cold freezing morning in Vancouver. Aside from its beauty, you're going to have to get used to the cold.

I was walking near the man and asked him, "Hey there sir, what are doing all alone in this weather?"

"I am celebrating." he replied.

He looked a bit frail for his age. He didn't have gray hair or a receding hairline or even wrinkles. He looked like he was in his forties. He was wearing this dark green suede jacket with mismatched khakis and brown shoes. He had this look about him that reminded me of a young George Clooney, successful and must be a ladies man.

"What are you celebrating about?" I asked.

"Misery." he replied.

I was a bit confused on what he meant, people never really had a celebration for misery, maybe Halloween for the dead but not that miserable. It occurred to me that he was alone in the City of Women. I bet he had a wife but I see no ring. He didn't look miserable to me, not even slightly suicidal. But I couldn't help but worry so I decided to take the time to talk to him.

"May I sit with you?" I asked

"Go right ahead." he replied.

"What are you miserable about then...what was your name again?" I inquired.

"Anthony. My name is Anthony."

"Have you ever realized that almost everybody in this world is living their life in the pursuit of happiness?" he asked.

As a matter of fact that is a good question. Everybody seems to be on the rage with this whole happiness thing. All aspects of life cramped up into one sole purpose, being happy.

"Yeah, I guess so, why?" I replied.

"We are too busy trying to be happy that we seemed to have forgotten all the other emotions that contribute to life's great purpose." he said.

He paused and grabbed his cup of coffee just idly sitting beside him and took a generous sip and breathed. He breathed life from this one little celebration of misery. He wasn't a bounty hunter for happiness. He was Robin Hood for misery.

"I am celebrating misery as an important part of my life and where it led me and made something of me because in the presence of misery we find the light and hope for the kind of happiness we hope to attain." he said.

"Why celebrate now?" I asked.

"Who says I am only celebrating now? I've been celebrating it on this day for the past 10 years." he replied.

I was deep in thought.

This man gave me an epiphany of a lifetime. He wasn't skeptic about his idea, he wasn't trying too hard to bribe me into agreeing with him. He was a like winter in the month of May. You couldn't understand while everybody was chasing their own kind of happiness, he was just here, celebrating. Celebrating that fact that he was miserable.

He was probably insane.

Or maybe not.

"May I ask you something personal?" I said.

"Go shoot."

"What's her name?" I asked.

He didn't say anything right away. He opened the cap of his coffee cup and just stared at his already cold coffee.

He was smiling.

Why is he smiling?

"Her name was Penny and she was beautiful." he replied.

"I lost her on this day 10 years ago. I didn't mean for it to happen but it did and I regret it 'till this day. Loving her was the best thing that ever happened to me and losing her was the worst."

We just sat there and not a word was uttered. The park was filled with dry leaves and empty hearts. I couldn't count on myself to tell this guy it's okay because it wasn't. I could hear the sound of birds clouded by the sound of heartbeats.

"Tell me something, do you have a girl?" he asked.

"I do but she's half way around the world and every day is a prick of a needle." I replied.

"It doesn't really matter how far both of you are. It's what kind of bond you've made. Don't make the same mistake as I did." he said.

I want to be with her despite the distance and the grueling wait just to have a glimpse of her or just even hear her voice. I still have a few months to go before I see her again.

"Don't regret loving her, you will not lose her, you will only lose sight of her only to find her again with your hearts closer than ever." he said.

I looked down and smiled and had fill that hasn't been mended for a long time. Perception is a great factor in our decisions, I was such a cynic only to discover the optimist in me. Life begins when you tell yourself it's time to live.

"Thank you sir." I said.

"Sure. Get going then." he replied.

I went away like nothing happened but something did happen. I had a clear thought of what life was. It may look that way but it's not what it seems. We carry the weight of the world on our shoulders only to discover other people are carrying it to. We only need to find the path that carries us to better days.

I grabbed my phone and looked through my contacts. I see her name and called her.

The phone rang.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hey Cathy. How you doing?" I said.

"Oh my god Rob! I missed you." she replied.

"We are fine. What we have is worth it. You're worth it. I love you." I said.

"Oh you. When I see you, you better give me six reasons why we are going to make this work." she said.

"Six? All I need is one."

"Us."

Don't forget to vote. :)

P.S. Please add this to your reading list. :)