When LIFE first said "hello", I cried. I don't know why I
had cried or what had scared me so. LIFE seemed like a
perfectly normal fellow, having much to offer. But I was
cautious and frightened none the less. As the days made way
into months and months into years, LIFE's "hellos" greeted
me just the same. Sometimes I smiled. Sometimes I sighed.
And sometimes I still cried. Maybe it was because every
"hello" was so different.
Sometimes it was warm and hearty and even inviting, while
other times it was harsh and curt and vulgar. LIFE had so
many faces to it that I never had time to prepare myself
with any appropriate response. I remember once when LIFE
gave me an "hello" which wasn't at all convincing. He just
didn't make me believe that his "hello" was sincere. So I
said nothing. I went on for days in silence never uttering a
single sound to any "hello" that LIFE handed out.
I mean, what was I to say to an "hello" which seemed to me
void of any meaning whatsoever. LIFE was just saying things.
They were boring "hellos".
I let LIFE knock on my door for weeks as I stubbornly
rejected any attempts to let him in. But eventually his
adamant pursuit was successful. I passively yielded. I let
LIFE in but never let it out. So again, the days made way
into months and months into more years. LIFE kept going
strong with his "hellos".
One day LIFE looked me straight in the eyes and said, "I've
been greeting you with "hellos" for all these many years.
Not once have I received an "hello" in return. Why is it
that you've never taken the time to once say to me "HELLO
LIFE?"
Well...I never thought of that; say hello to LIFE? Why
bother? Every morning he said hello to me. It was so much
simpler this way. "Just keep on saying 'hello' to me LIFE,
that's all I need."
"Fine," said LIFE," if that's the way you want it. I'll keep
on saying 'hello' to you until the day arrives when I must
say 'good-bye' ".
"Good-bye?"
"And I'll only say it once."

When my years had reached the point where I could no longer
recall what it was like to posses a fine set of teeth or a
full set of hair, I thought of LIFE and of all the "hellos"
he had greeted me with. Out of all my friends, he had been
the one I had used the most, and like none of my others, he
was mine. But then I started thinking to myself, 'Throughout
all these years, what have I ever given to LIFE? Not once
had I ever said, "HELLO LIFE!"' I felt awful. I took and
never gave.
"Oh LIFE, LIFE, can you forgive me for not doing more than I
could have?
"Oh LIFE, LIFE can you forgive me for being so silent? Oh
LIFE, can you forgive me for never saying 'hello' to you?"
"HELLO LIFE!", I finally said.
"Good-bye." He replied.
I cried.