He set his suitcase down and stepped out of the taxi. His vacations were always far too short and far too infrequent. He paid the fare and turned back to look at his sad apartment complex. The sepia-colored four story building glared down at him, uncaring. Its faceless exterior drained the color from him, ignorant of the depression that washed over him at its sight.

He closed his eyes and willed himself back: back to the field of white lilies that had filled the air with a sickening sweet aroma. He stood there, where the wind flew free, un-buffeted by the rough lopsided buildings that pretended to be filled with life here in the city. The suitcase felt heavy in his hands as he realized again that he could not go back.

There was no escape from the metropolis.

In truth, he had thought this was what he’d wanted, back when he was pushed to get a college degree. They said the air here smelled of life, community, and opportunity. They weren’t wrong. Perhaps he was just the wrong fit for the sweaty sidewalks and city lights. Every day he sat in an office and hoped A.I. took his job sooner rather than later.

He shuffled up the warm concrete steps and into his stuffy, empty apartment. Glancing around at the clean counters and spotless surfaces, he noted it was exactly as he’d left it: lifeless. He wished there was some clutter so that he could busy himself, and so he could put off thinking about work tomorrow. He sighed and opened his suitcase to unpack it.

“Oh, right,” he said aloud as he spotted the three flattened lilies that he’d forgotten he had packed away. Recalling the field of joy, he stared at them. Then he cradled the fragile stalks in his hands and placed them in a vase on the windowsill. They would die soon, but looking at them made him smile just a little.

And then a small silly idea occurred to him.

What was stopping him from collecting more flowers? Sure, these would die, but they didn’t have to be the only ones. Tomorrow, he could buy another bloom to join these ones. In fact, he could go every day after work, collect colors from across the city, and fill his apartment with life. With color.

A real smile spread across his face, and he felt a lightness in his chest. It was the little things after all, he thought. And suddenly, tomorrow didn’t feel quite so dark.

As promised: the artwork that inspired the story.