In the end my friend told me to go to the library and pick out some books on the subject. Not one for reading at the moment I decided to stop a random person and ask them if they knew how life works.  I strolled from the library with my self help books…what…yeah I know…I went and got the books just in case.  Well anyway I threw the books in my car and strolled to the nearest corner. 

There I waited for just the right person to ask. 

Then, I waited some more.

Finally I spotted this rather rotund man, dressed in a suit and tie coming down the side walk.  If ever anyone would know how life works it would be a well fed professional type.

“Excuse me,” I said to the man. “I was just wondering if you could tell me how life works.”

“Is this some kind of a joke?” The man asked back to me. “ AM I on one of those hidden camera shows?” The man looked around trying to find out where the came was hidden.  After five minutes of persuading the man I was serious the man looked me in the eyes and said, “Why do you want to know?”

“Well,” I said. “I just figured if I knew how life works then I would be ahead of the game.’

“Well son,” He said squaring his jaw. “You obviously have never had the extreme pleasure of seeking out a higher education or you would know the workings of life are very complicated and cannot be explained in a few simple sentences.”

With that the man turned and continued his rolling stroll up the said walk.  I watched him walk away, my heart a little saddened by not finding out how life works, but still I vowed to search on.   I sat down on a small bench next to one of the buildings and continued to watch each of the people as they strolled along the sidewalk to see if I could spot someone who could answer my question. 

I counted six professional types, three head bangers, I lost count of how many elderly and one person I have no clue about.  I was about to give up and go home when I spotted a member of the clergy come out of one of the small stores which lined one side of the street.  I made jumped up off the bench and made a beeline for. 

“Father, father,” I called the out. 

He turned and looked at me as I ran his way.  At first I thought he was to break and make a run for it because he gave me one of those bemused smiles which says, “oh great here comes another one,” but to my relief he stayed right where he was.  I pulled myself to stop at the tips of him patent black leather shoes.  A little expensive looking for a man of the cloth, I thought but to each his own. I took a few seconds to pant out the words, “Hold on a second while collect my breath,” 

I noticed him look at his watch once or twice.

“Excuse me father,” I finally uttered.

“Reverend,” he said

“Excuse me reverend, can I ask you something?”

He looked at me with quizzical eyes. 

“Yes,” is all he said in return

“I don’t know how life works and I was wondering if you could tell me.”

 He smiled.  I knew right then and there I was going to like his answer.

“Don’t feel bad son, “he said. “Most people spend too much time trying to seek out the answer to that very question when the answer is right in front of their faces. Life works like this, you’re born, you live your prescribed number of years and then you pass away into eternity.  It is as simple as that.  All the rest is determined by where your heart lies.”

“It’s that simple?”

“Yes, it’s that simple,” He tipped his head. “Now if you’ll excuse me I’ll be on my way.”

I watched him walk up the sidewalk for a few moments then turned to head back to my car.

What a simply complex idea, life works by living each day with your heart in the proper place and your eyes focused on the needs of others instead of yourself.