"I regret it," thought an old man as he lay on his deathbed. He knew he didn't have much time now. It would be here soon. This moment of quiet left him to wonder about the choices he made.
He looked around the room. It was only him here. But he didn't mind, not before; he didn't.
Glass cases lined the walls, filled with awards and trophies he had collected over a lifetime. Once, they meant everything. Now, they meant nothing. He knew that already. In his long life he had this thought plenty of times, and plenty of times he had tried to change this trajectory, but... it seems deep down, he was still that same child, trying to impress someone who no longer existed.
What is the purpose of life? Why did I spend all this time here? For what?
All those awards on display? It didn't feel like accomplishments, no, it felt like... regret?
His gaze lingered on the display cases.
It felt like he was the one on display.
The joke.
They say life is funny if you look at it from afar.
There was some truth to that.
He laughed.
Thanks for reading.