Gemotions

The digging was arduous, the sun beating down on him. Michael, sweating and frustrated, finally unearthed the time capsule. It was a sturdy, steel container, heavily sealed. Curiosity warred with apprehension. He never made commitments. He never took risks. Now he was faced with himself, from a different point in his life.

The contents revealed a series of carefully crafted plans for his life. Career goals, travel itineraries, a list of personal virtues he hoped to embody. He scanned it and felt a wave of inadequacy wash over him. The list was a rebuke. His life was directionless. He felt a deep longing for someone to tell him what to do. The future looked like a daunting, empty expanse. The weight of his own decisions pressed down on him.