Gemotions

The sun beat down on Martha’s face as she sorted through her late husband’s belongings. In a drawer, she discovered a letter addressed to her. She opened it, hesitantly. The words were a cascade of insecurities, worries, and complaints. The letter was a detailed account of how she had hurt him.

Her breath hitched in her throat. She sank to the floor, her back against the old dresser. The letter felt heavy, like a weight pressing down on her chest. Her eyes blurred. She felt a sudden, crushing awareness of her own flaws, a sense of having been judged and found wanting.