Yesterday afternoon, we went to a teahouse in our neighbourhood. After carefully picking out our tea, we sat down at a table to enjoy it. An older man behind us, perhaps in his late sixties, asked my dear what tea she was drinking. This was how our conversation started.
We could tell that he wanted to talk, so we did. Through his light accent, he told us that he was visiting from Ottawa, though he has no ties there anymore and may move to Vancouver soon. One of his sons has a family here and he would like to be closer to them, whereas his other son lives in Dubai working as a private pilot for a Saudi family. He would not like to move there.
When he is in Vancouver, he said, he comes to this same place where him and his wife used to come so often when she was alive. She passed away last year.
After he was done his tea, he thanked the girls working there, then came to say goodbye to us on his way out. He smiled and told us to spend time together. It’s important.
The impression that some strangers leave on us is enormous. People we may only see once in our lifetime can still give us hope, can still provide us wisdom if we let them. Every person has a story, and in every story is something beautiful.
We aren’t here forever. Go love someone.
