Gemotions

“This is going to be harder than I thought,” thought Thomas, staring at the overflowing boxes in the garage. His dad had been a practical man, a man of routine. Thomas was the opposite, a free spirit. He dug through a box filled with old office supplies and found a crisp, white envelope. It held his father's draft resignation from a long-held accounting position.

The words detailed the drudgery, the feeling of being controlled by the numbers, the desire for a life less… structured. The letter ended with the simple sentence, "I feel I am being pulled back, unable to move forward." Thomas felt a cold dread creep into his stomach. His father had always provided, always been there. He had always been… safe.

Thomas sat back on his heels, the letter clutched in his hand. He hadn't realized how much he'd allowed his father to shape his own path, providing for everything. He needed to call his sister, to ask her, to… what exactly? He felt a sudden, overpowering urge to retreat, to seek the familiar comfort of his childhood home.