• He was the last of a dying breed, a man filled with
    honor, love and respect for a fellow human being.
    They were rare qualities indeed, in a world where
    such attributes were at a premium.

    He made his way down the lonely, barren, beach
    front walkway, the waves crashing against the
    seawall. As he stopped, the hint of a smile appeared.
    He gazed at the seagulls, swooping down and dipping
    their beaks into the ocean, in search of food. The
    wind, birds, nature, they were all his friends. Friends
    that drove the loneliness from him. Here he was at
    peace with himself and the world.

    He raised a wrinkled hand to his face, rubbing his
    eyes. His minds eye, capturing brief glimpses of
    happier days; a wife, children and grandchildren.
    The wife and children no longer of this world. The
    grandchildren, scattered around the world, like
    leaves blowing in the wind.

    Reaching into his pocket, he took from it, a few
    paltry slices of stale bread. Breaking them into
    bird size bites, he cast them on the sand before
    him. Then taking several paces backward, from
    where the welcomed gift, that was now being converged
    upon, by hungry gulls.He watched them eagerly
    fluttering about the patches of bread, then swooping
    up the pieces and flying off with their prize.

    When the food was gone, all but one of the gulls had
    disappeared into a heavy gray sky. The lone gull
    seemed to stare at the old man. He returning the
    strange encounter, as he thought; 'So, like me,
    you are alone. I know how you feel my little friend.'
    It was uncanny how long the old man and the gull
    stood motionless, just staring at each other.
    A Mexican standoff, as neither blinked an eye.

    'I have no more food, ' the old man softly
    whispered.
    Hearing the voice break the morning stillness, the
    gull cocked his head and if understanding,
    squawked back in his direction, fluttered his
    wings and flew off.

    The old man watched the bird take flight and
    thought, 'don't go so quickly, my little friend.'
    With his eyes still trained on the gull, he
    remembered the words of love that were once
    spoken to him; ' don't teach me how to fly,
    unless your willing to let me go.' He continued
    to watch the bird and whispered, 'yes...yes,
    there comes a time, when we must all
    fly alone.'

    He continued to watch until his feathered friend
    was but a speck in the sky and then, that to
    disappearing. His eyes locked skyward, straining
    to catch one more glimpse of the bird. Nothing.
    He shook his head, not wanting to accept it, as
    he murmured; 'is that what we become...a speck
    and then nothing? '

    He thought about all in his life that meant so much
    to him. All the memories. All the love. Could it
    be, that all in life that was so very precious to him,
    could be reduced to a speck and then nothing?
    He was devastated by the very thought. He felt
    a compelling urgency to reach out and assure
    himself that surely, after so many years of human
    existence, there must be something more.
    He had lived his life with honor. Was his ending
    to be the same, as those who lived their lives
    for personal gain, without feeling or compassion?
    Could the final ending for him, be the same as the
    monsters of society? He paused, reflecting on
    that frightening possibility.

    Again, looking toward the sky, the waves crashing
    on the beech and thundering in his ears, he was
    suddenly filled with peace. He knew that surely,
    there was more. There just had to be more, for
    those that lived 'the good life'. More...for those
    who believed. For people like these, there had
    to be a better place to go.

    His eyes shifted to his surroundings. From
    the sky, to the vast ocean, that stretched
    endlessly before him and off the side, to the
    towering trees.

    He glanced at the walkways, that fronted the
    multi-storied, concrete, compartmental dwellings,
    that housed some of the more successful of
    humans. The buildings, immense in size, dwarfed
    all that surrounded them.

    The old man did not fix his gaze on the millions
    of tons of concrete, steel and glass, but rather
    his eyes were filled with wonder of the trees, shrubs
    ,
    and a small girl that emerged from the
    giant structure.

    The little girl was carrying a tiny dog. It warmed
    him to see her snuggle her face to the little dog.
    The tiny tongue darting from the ball of fur,
    touching her nose, bringing a giggle from the little
    girl and a smile to the old mans face.
    Abruptly the little girl turned to face the huge
    glass doors. Someone inside, who the old man
    could not see, was calling her. Quickly, she
    disappeared inside.

    With his eyes glued to the front of the structure,
    he waited for her to return. After several
    minutes when she did not, he again faced the
    ocean. Another memory that brought his peace,
    happiness; a little girl, a ball of fur and a hardy
    giggle, now became locked in his treasure chest
    of memories.

    Looking skyward, he smiled and softly whispered;
    'Yes...yes, I know you're there. You're all around
    me. The trees...flowers...the ocean, everything.
    You're everything that's good, that's love. You're
    in my heart and the hearts of those that believe
    in you. You're love, peace, happiness.' He smiled,
    'You were in that little girls giggle.'

    The old man stood there. A picture frozen in time.
    The waves relentlessly pounding the beach front,
    ...while a single RAY OF SUNSHINE
    jetted from the slate-gray sky...
    onto the old mans face.

    He stood immobile against a desolate setting.
    His eyes slowly closing. He face turned full to
    the sun. Slowly, gently, he sank to his knees...
    the suns rays locked to his face as he knelt on
    the sandy beach. He was filled with a peace
    beyond description. a peace, until that very
    moment, he never knew existed. Slowly, with
    eyes closed, he lay down, his face to the sun.

    As he lay prone on the beach,
    ...the suns rays... seemed to intensity...
    causing a brilliant ring to form around
    his bodies outline.
    The sun grew brighter. With blinding intensity...
    it lit up the old mans peaceful and
    smiling face.

    Circling birds... hovered above the old man...
    and a gently breeze, feathered the still body.
    The suns rays grew dimmer and finally disappeared
    into the heavy, gray sky.

    The old man just laid there... motionless and not
    breathing......The smile...still on his face.