The Painted Door🔊

In the serene village of Lakeview, filled with old cottages painted in vivid hues and cobblestone pathways leading to places of wonder, lived a humble painter named Oliver. He was widely recognized for his prodigious talent and his beautiful portraits that mirrored reality with such credence that it often brought tears to the eyes of the onlooker.

Oliver lived in a quaint, sapphire-coloured cottage at the edge of the village, away from the hustle and bustle. His home was distinct from the rest, not merely for its colour but due to a peculiar unpainted wooden door. It evoked curiosity among the villagers, why would a painter of such sublime talent not paint his front door?

Oliver had a story. His heart was deeply imbued with the love for a maiden named Ava. She was a local villager, possessing radiant beauty and a heart full of compassion. Her tender love for nature mirrored in her emerald green eyes that sparkled with life. Oliver fell head over heels upon his first encounter with Ava, at the annual village fair. Her enchanting laughter and serene aura captivated Oliver, who was more expressive with his paintbrush than his words.

Over time, the shared smiles turned into prolonged conversations, and soon, Oliver found the courage to express his feelings to Ava through a delicate portrait. Ava was mesmerized by the piece and reciprocated Oliver's love. A profound bond was formed, filled with love, respect, and mutual admiration. They promisingly planned to paint their life together, with Oliver’s cottage serving as the first blank canvas. And so, one day arrived when Ava, armed with Oliver’s brushes, ambitiously decided to paint the front door of their humble cottage.

Before she could start, an urgent call for help came. Ava, known for her compassionate deeds, hastily left to aid, promising Oliver she'd return and finish the painting. As fate would have it, Ava fell prey to a sudden illness during this noble deed, losing her life to a deadly pandemic ravaging the village.

Heartbroken and devastated, Oliver couldn't bear to paint the door—the task left incomplete by Ava, his love, his life. The unpainted door turned into a symbol of Ava's untimely departure, a painful reminder of love that could have been.

Years rolled by, and Oliver grew old, his grey hair reflecting the gloom that engulfed his life. Yet, he continued to tell the story of the painted door. The villagers respected his emotions and left the door untouched, memorializing Ava's eternal love in its bare wooden form.

And then one day, a travelling artist arrived at Lakeview. He heard the tale of the unpainted door and was deeply moved. Seeking Oliver's permission, he lovingly painted the door with a portrait of Ava, captured in his heart through Oliver's recounted memories and kept alive in the village folklore. A revived sense of serenity settled on the previously unpainted door, echoing Ava's presence, healing Oliver's tormented heart.

The artist regarded this as his tribute to the unfulfilled love of Oliver and Ava. This painted door, in its vibrant colours, became a living testament of Oliver's undying love, Ava's compassionate soul, and of cherishing what was lost - gifting Lakeview a tale of love, loss, and remembrance.

The story of the 'Painted Door' transformed the serene village into a destination of love, attracting romantics from far and wide, proving love knows no boundaries, not even those of life and death. And it remains alive in the hearts of the villagers, in the art of Oliver, and in the 'Painted Door', persevering against the sands of time.