“Do I know anything of love?”  Old man Lieberman gave a great big sigh and stared off into the distance at nothing. Ghosts of the past danced across his big brown eyes as the moments passed, as each memory faded, another reappeared as fresh as if it had been just the day before. “I would like to think so little one.”

“But, is it anything like the stories? The ones that you tell us around the fire late at night?” Lieberman smiled at the child’s enthusiasm, reminding him of a life long swallowed by the insatiable maw of time.

“Yes...” He finally answered, “That and much, much more.”

“Do you think that I’ll ever be in love?” The old man leaned forward and looked the boy straight in the eye.

“Love….love is the greatest thing you can aspire to find. Once you find love, hold onto it for all you’re worth, for once you’ve found love, you will be unable to reason how you lived without it for so long, or how you could live without it once you’ve lost it again.”

“Uncle…. were you ever in love?” The old man shut his eyes tight as a tear rolled down his cheek. He got up from his chair without a word and walked to the window, his back to the child. Thinking he had done wrong and caused him pain, the child fought back tears of his own. He tip toed up to Lieberman and threw his arms around his leg.

“I’m sorry uncle….” Lieberman looked down at the distraught child and ruffled the kid’s red hair.

“Don’t be. It’s not you’re fault that your ole uncle is a softy.”  He put his arms back to his sides, and looked back out the window. “Once upon a time…..even I was in love…..”