Gemotions

The request came so suddenly. I was caught completely off guard, unprepared for the emotions that would flood me. My neighbor's casual words – "Can we take down the old willow?" – seemed to echo in the silent space around me.

The willow, its weeping branches a familiar comfort, stood at the property line. I felt a pang. I felt as if the world itself was being chipped away.

My breath hitched as I stared. The tree, its silhouette a familiar comfort, now seemed like a fragile treasure. I muttered about needing time to decide, and then retreated, feeling as though I had been granted an audience with a deity.