Gemotions

The scent of incense filled the small, cluttered apartment. My cousin, David, had always been a cynic, a sharp-tongued critic of everything. He had just announced he was embracing Buddhism.

His transformation was swift and sudden. He sold his possessions, gave up meat and beer, and began to meditate for hours on end, his legs crossed in the lotus position. He spoke of detaching from material desires and of finding inner peace. His normally agitated hands were now relaxed and still.

He used to pace when he was anxious, but now he was calm. He was also kind, gentle, his voice like a calming river. He started cleaning up the apartment. He began giving away everything. He was a new man. He was at peace.