Gemotions

The house seemed to shrink around me. The walls were closing in, the air thick and heavy. The simple act of getting out of bed felt like an immense effort. The world was too bright, too loud, too much. I stood in the kitchen, staring at the untouched coffee maker.

I had been trying to help my daughter with her homework, looking for some pictures for her project. Instead, I found a different social media account. A world of photos and stories I had never seen before. It felt like I was looking into a mirror and seeing someone I didn’t know.

The afternoon crawled by. I watched TV, but couldn't focus. I started to make dinner, but abandoned it halfway. I felt like I was made of lead. When my daughter finally came downstairs, I couldn’t meet her eye.