Free Hugs

I meet him every day at the playground. He is so full of life that his laugh could even scare the Satan. He always laughs wholeheartedly, and I know because his eyes smile as well. He makes so many jokes and no wonder, he is such an interesting person.

yesterday, I realized that there is always another side to a story.

Isn’t it strange that all these people we see every day, we can never assume what goes on in the back side of their head? We can never tell if they’re unable to resist the homesickness they’re feeling, or is it wistful longing for the old days? It’s hard to presume when all they show you is the face full of life and happiness. We never try to see the graveyard beyond that beautiful door.

A lot of people I know told me that he is an angel. But I never think about it. Yes, he is different, but he is not what they say about him. Today, I came to know that he has a mystical power that can cure a person of cancer, AIDS, depression, or any other incurable disease. All he has to do is give them a hug.

People who are cured by him, say, he is a blessing. But every too-good-to-be-true thing has a catch. Every time he hugs someone. His lifespan is shortened by 3%. To this day, he has hugged at least seven hundred people.

With his powers, I knew he could do a lot of good in the world. He cured the rich for a hefty amount and then donated the fee to the local hospital to help the poor. He was kind of Robinhood. But the truth is that this is hard. He can’t cure all the poor people with money whereas all the rich get away with a new start. Over the years, he has lived with this dilemma: Is he balancing the rich and poor correctly?

Don’t take him wrong, yes both deserve to live, but sometimes, just sometimes, he thinks the poor didn’t get the exact opportunities. It’s hard to see so many people suffer and not be able to do anything about it.

The irony of this is that he may have been able to cure a lot of people, but he, himself, suffering from depression now, and no one can cure him. Seeing all those kids at the hospital, suffering, and fighting has worn out his soul. He can’t stand the injustice any longer, and he can’t continue to fight alone and see himself failing.

yesterday, I got to know that he is suffering from depression and is also on medication. And it really changed the way I look at him. His laugh was not whole anymore. His jokes weren’t as funny as before now. And I could see a little glimpse of gloominess in his eyes, which I think smiled once upon a time.

This is why his parents wanted him to stay hidden. They knew, if he stayed any closer to other’s suffering, he will succumb to theirs. But he couldn’t just watch the world around him die while he lived on forever. So, that’s when he started helping people. But he still doesn’t feel enough.

Today, I saw him standing outside an old hospital that treats the poor, holding a board. On it, he has written: Free Hugs.