The Old Mans Dream

“He no longer dreamed of storms, nor of women, nor of great occurrences, nor of great fish, nor fights, nor contests of strength, nor of his wife.
He only dreamed of places now and of the lions on the beach.”
— Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea

Every time I read this book, this is the line where I find myself suppressing tears. Hemingway hit a nerve.

Life has been long and full of things I’ve clung to — ambitions, people, struggles I thought would define me.
But over time, those things have faded. What stay with me are certain places — moments that felt quiet, safe, and complete.

I think when we get old and start thinking about heaven, it’s these nostalgic memories that fill in the picture.
I know I have mine.

This painting is a way for me to try and show what that line meant to me —
or what I saw when I pictured it.