Gemotions

I found the letter tucked away in a dusty box. It was written by my mom, decades ago. It was a draft of a resignation from her job as a nurse. It was a job she had loved and spoken of passionately. The letter spoke of burnout, of the emotional toll of caring for others. I'd never heard her express such feelings before. I felt a tightening in my chest, a deep ache. I, too, knew that feeling. I'd struggled with similar things. I understood, intimately, the weight of her words. I could almost hear her voice, tired and worn, as she wrestled with her decision.