Gemotions

He stared at the photograph, his hand shaking slightly as he held the list. His father had always been a man of action, of grand gestures. The list was a testament to that spirit. "Climb a mountain" was scrawled at the top, followed by "Learn to speak Spanish." Michael had always been critical of his father's wild ambitions, urging him to be “sensible.”

Now, looking at the faded picture of his father beaming at a mountain peak, he felt a crushing weight. He felt the sting of regret in his heart, a physical manifestation of his own shortcomings. He should have gone with him, encouraged him, listened to his stories. He felt as though he had failed a test, a test he hadn't even known he was taking. He felt the hot tears on his cheek.