Gemotions

From his vantage point on the sofa, David observed his son, Ethan, hunched over his collection of vintage model trains. He knew the feeling. The sheer joy of assembling the intricate engines, carefully laying the tracks, watching the trains chug along the miniature landscape. A strange, happy lightness filled David.

Ethan, six years old, had taken to collecting trains like a duck to water. David had passed down his own collection, originally intending to share his hobby, but it quickly became apparent that Ethan was the one in charge. Ethan, in turn, built the layout, and David was a spectator.

Ethan, with the concentration of a seasoned conductor, carefully adjusted a signal, and the train whistled. David felt his lips tug upward into a smile, a response he found difficult to resist. He was pleased.