Gemotions

She woke with a smile, a rare event these days. Maya felt a lightness in her chest, a buoyant happiness that bubbled up unbidden. She’d spent the last year working on a series of miniature sculptures, tiny figures crafted from found objects and imbued with a quiet dignity. The thought of them being seen by others hadn't crossed her mind; it was the act of creating that she treasured. A friend, however, had taken a photograph and entered them in a local show. The email arrived: her pieces were accepted. A small knot of surprise quickly dissolved into something else.