Chapter 207:
Ghosts of Memories
Lila’s POV
As Lila went around the exhibit, the room seemed so quiet in comparison to the lively chatters and laughter that filled the gallery just several hours before. The evening at exhibits was, for the most part, a particularly noisy art show, although Lila only felt mixed relief and melancholy from standing amongst the pieces that had been such a labor of effort on her part.
Her thoughts kept going back to the people who had been part of this journey-mainly, Jake, Alex, and Sarah. They had all played a big part in creating her conceived idea of art and life, as memories of their shared times felt so comforting and bittersweet.
She paused in front of a loud piece, a colorful abstract, and looked up as she heard soft footfalls proceeding toward her. She saw that it was Sarah coming toward her with a faraway, thoughtful look.
“Hey, Sarah,” Lila said, keeping her voice out of the reflective tone. “How are you enjoying the exhibit?”
Sarah turned to her with a slight smile. “Yes, it’s wonderful. You’ve outdone yourself.”
Lila shrugged modestly. “Thanks. It’s been a lot of work but worth it.
Sarah looked around, her eyes thoughtful. “It’s amazing how much emotion art can capture. Sometimes, I feel like it’s a way to express what words can’t.”
“That is what I have always felt,” Lila said, the nostalgia heavy in her voice. “Each piece in here tells a story, a piece of someone’s soul.”
Sarah nodded her head. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the connections we’ve made and how they’ve influenced us. You really put that in your work.”
Lila looked back at the canvas. “Funny, isn’t it? How the past can feel so present in moments like these?”
Sarah tilted her head. “Do you mean, like, ghosts of memories?”
Lila nodded slowly. “Yes, exactly. Sometimes I feel that what is past finds residence in the present, leading on to the way we see things and with whom to relate.”
Sarah got introspective. “I know that feeling. Our memories really can be so vivid. They shape who we are and how we view the world.
Just then, Alex stepped inside the gallery. His entrance was indeed affirming into what was otherwise a very silent hall. Wearing a thoughtful expression on his face, he went to Lila and Sarah.
“Hey,” he said, pensive in his tone, “I didn’t expect to find you two here. How’s the exhibit?”
“It really is. Afterwards, though, it can be quite comforting to be able to just sit and stare for a while.”.
Alex glanced around the room, his gaze settling on different pieces. “Lately, I’ve had way too much thought about the things people leave behind and how they just seem to affect us.”
Sarah perked an eyebrow. “Memories?”
“Yeah, exactly,” Alex replied. “Sometimes it makes the past seem way more alive, and it gets in the way of my present.”.
Lila nodded. “It’s like our past never really goes away. It’s always there, shaping our thoughts and actions.”
Sarah appeared thoughtful. “I have noticed that too. It feels as though our ghostly past keeps on whispering echoes to us, guiding us through our choices and leading our experiences.”
Alex looked at Lila. “Do you think the art we create is a way to confront those ghosts?
Lila considered it. “Yes, I believe so. Art can be seen as the manifestation of what is inside of us, even our memories and feelings that sometimes we cannot understand. It’s kind of a voice for those ghosts.”
Sarah smiled. “That is beautifully put. It is as though each work of art were in dialogue with the past.
As the conversation wore on, Jake entered the gallery with a kind of intrigued and warm look. He proceeded toward the friends within the group, and his eyes raced around the room until they settled on the people whom he recognized.
“Hey guys,” Jake said, entering the group. “I heard you guys talking about ghosts. May I join?
“Of course not,” Lila said, waving him to sit beside her. “We’re just talking about how our pasts somehow define us, and how sometimes art can help in reconciling those small pieces in our minds.”
Jake was obviously interested. “That’s interesting. I’ve been thinking a lot about how the past influences our present decisions. It’s like we’re constantly being pulled between what was and what is.”
Sarah nodded. “It is a strong concept. Hopefully the past does not burden this life, but from the other side, it could inspire and take us forward.”
Jake nodded in response and looked around at the gallery. “This place kind of mirrors that-it’s just full of pieces that evoke totally different emotions and memories.
Lila smiled. “This is exactly what I was hoping for. I wanted this exposition to be a place where people could link to their lived experiences and feelings.”
Alex looked over at Jake. “Do you ever feel like you’re haunted by a certain memory or experience?”
Jake thought about this. “Kind of. You know, there are just those moments when certain memories feel so clear and real, they have a way of shoving everything else to the sides. It’s as if they have a life of their own.
Sarah nodded in agreement. “I know. It’s so hard to bear those feelings, but I think acknowledging them and finding a way to express them can be so potent for me.” Lila had agreed. “Art was my way of dealing with those ghosts. It was a way of making sense of what happened, and making peace with it.”
Alex paused contemplatively. “I suppose we all have our way of coming to terms with things that haunt us from the past. With me, boxing has been a way to release those feelings and ground myself.”
Jake smiled. “And for me, it yet just always seemed to be the way to find meaning and purpose in the present. It’s like we all have our way of taking on and embracing the past.”.
As Sarah looked around at her friends, a sense of understanding and connection reflected in her eyes. “Oh, it is amazing how very different experiences and perspectives finally add up to meaningful building blocks.”
Lila nodded. “And it’s here, now, in this moment of chatter, laughter, and shared memories, that we get to really feel it all.
As the evening paled and the gallery cleared out, the group just lingered on, treasuring that sense of unity and reflection. They plain just keep talking, each of them elaborating on and illuminating parts of the past which had somehow always determined their presents.
She was feeling so grateful for the people around her, who had provided support and understanding against the complexity of her own memories and emotions. With the last guest gone, Lila realized those ghosts from the past were haunting her every so often, but they were also a source of growth and inspiration.