Gemotions

The sunlight streamed through the kitchen window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Sarah had just finished washing the dishes and had wandered into the den. The boxes her mother had left behind sat stacked against the wall, a silent sentinel. She hadn't been able to bring herself to open them.

Now, though, something compelled her. She felt an uncharacteristic energy crackling within her. She grabbed the topmost box and began to unearth her childhood. A thick file of elementary school homework, essays, and art projects filled the container.

She quickly thumbed through the papers. Her eyes widened, focusing on a particularly elaborate drawing of a castle she had made in 5th grade. Then she saw the comments her mother made in the margins. "So creative!" "Wonderful use of color!" Her chest tightened.