Gemotions

The card lay on the doormat, a stark white rectangle amongst the junk mail. Its gold lettering proclaimed "Happy Birthday!" without a name attached. Maria picked it up, her fingers tracing the smooth surface. Her mind conjured images of those who might be feeling bereft, lacking the simple joy of celebration.

She thought of the young single mother down the street, always juggling work and childcare. Maria visualized the woman's face when her own children were young. Her chest felt heavy with a sense of understanding.

Maria decided she would take the woman a casserole. She would also send a text to a friend of hers, asking if she could babysit. The simple act of creating a meal, a gesture of goodwill, felt profoundly important.