However, the ocean of emotion doesn't only hold sweet springs.
One night, he returned alone to his empty studio. The blocks of stone, the metal, the withered flowers before him seemed to shift and change shape in the dim light.
He saw countless phantoms:
— Her smile became a wedding veil.
— Her back turned into footsteps walking away from him.
— Her eyes reflected a myriad of possible futures.
He couldn't distinguish what was real from what was merely his desire, fear, and projections.
Emotion is like water; water can reflect, but it can also deceive. When there are too many cups, a person can drown in illusions.
For the first time, Leo was afraid. He was afraid that he wasn't truly in love but was being manipulated by phantoms.
【Echo from the Mirror】
On your emotional journey, can you distinguish between what is real and what is a projection of your own mind? Are you in love with the other person, or are you in love with the way they make you feel?