Gemotions

David wandered through the bustling art gallery, his father’s bucket list crumpled in his pocket. “Visit the Louvre. Paint a masterpiece. Fall in love.” He had the feeling of an ache in his chest, a deep and hollow space where joy used to reside. His father, an art teacher, had filled their home with creativity and laughter.

His father had always encouraged David's passions, but David had never reciprocated. He’d focused on his own struggles, his own ambitions, and had often shut out his father's attempts to connect with him. Now, surrounded by paintings he'd never appreciate the way his father would have, he felt a sting of realization.

He stopped in front of a particularly vibrant canvas, a landscape bathed in sunlight. His father would have loved it. He closed his eyes, picturing his father’s smile, and a single tear traced a path down his cheek.