Gemotions

“Well, isn’t this something,” Emily murmured, examining the crisp letter. Her aunt, a renowned artist, had written this resignation letter from her teaching position, decades ago. It was a letter of liberation, of pursuing one's passion.

Emily, a teacher herself, had always dreamed of painting full-time. She'd enrolled in classes, purchased expensive supplies, but the fear of failure, the need for security, held her back. She’d stayed in the classroom, teaching a subject that now felt increasingly stale. The letter felt like a punch to the gut.

She put the letter down on the desk with a thud. She wanted to scream. She began to cry, but not with sadness.