Gemotions

The biography sat on the front seat of Maria's car, as though it was a passenger who didn't belong. Maria was a nurse, used to dealing with hardship and pain. But this, this was different.

She flipped through the pages, the words blurring before her eyes. It was a distorted reflection of her life, and it felt cold and clinical. She thought about the patients she cared for, the vulnerable people she tried to protect.

She imagined the author, the outsider, the observer. She felt a profound sense of sadness. She knew what it was like to feel isolated, to feel misunderstood. She understood how it felt to not be able to control your story.

She pulled the car over, and she closed her eyes, and she imagined the author, and she started to feel an enormous sadness. She could no longer feel anger, only a deep sense of connection.