It was a beautiful morning. A day to remember. A day for forgetting. My heart's darling was playing in the naked sun. The look of her bare feet, wetted by the morning dew and her white dress, reflecting the kissing sun, made me blithesome and gay. She could enjoy her life in a way I wasn't capable of. She knew that life was all too short to ignore or throw away on lies. She lived her life to the full. While I... merely survived it.
    I had devoted my life to my work. I ate, drank and slept it. There never was any time to actually enjoy and live it. Even less to understand that life is far too short for throwing it away the way I did. I do understand this now. But now is far too late.
    My workoholism had indeed affected my mental health. I can not even count the numerous of times I had woken, sweating and wet, from a nightmare, clutching the empty space, in panic, for something to hold on to. But there was nothing there to give me ease. Mere the midnight moon, shamelessly starring in through the open window.
    Then she came into my life and chased all the evil mind-demons away. I was happy. I thought this was the end of my agonies. But I was wrong. Of course I do not regret anything. She is good for me and I need her just as a flower needs sunshine. But I'm dying and there is not enough love in the world that can save me from where I am going.
    The old man nodded and looked at me without saying a word. I continued.
    "I never thought that anything would scare me this much. But it is paining me to know that I have finally found the happiness I've been searcing for so long. But I will not stay long enough to enjoy it. Two years ago it hadn't even crossed my mind that I one day would die and now not a day passes without me thinking of it.
    My mother once told me something. I've thought of it a lot. She said that even the most beautiful flower will one day wither and die. Nothing will last forever.
    So true.
    I dried a single tear from my cheek as I heard the old man's voice.
    "Nothing will last forever, Vincent. Not even our problems." I laughed.
    So true. When we die it is all over.
    I quivered by the sudden touch of her hand. She smiled as I turned my head to see her. "I'm sorry, my darling. Did I scare you?"
    I shaked my head. "No princess, everything's fine. I was just away for a little while. Lost in my thoughts."
    "This is not the day for pondering," she said and gently caressed my chin. "Come, Vincent. Come and play with me in the sun. It's such a beautiful day, it would be a shame to spend it all alone under the shadow of a tree." she pulled my arms and reluctantly I rose.
    "Where you talking to somebody?" she said with that lean voice of hers.
    "No. Nobody, but myself," I answered as casual as I could. I had to lie. She would not understand.
    "Good," she said and pulled me away out in the sun. Here gaze was set somewhere far out in the horizon and if that was where we were going, well then I could not be more happy. As long as we went there together.
    Oh, Dijana. Do you know how much I love you?
    She continued pulling my hand and I turned my head back for a second to say fare well to my spirit friend.
    I won't be back I said. I can't be looking back anymore.
    He looked at me with tired eyes and nodded. He understood.