Gemotions

The email shimmered in Maya’s inbox, subject line: "Your Essay in Our Anthology!" She almost deleted it, assuming spam. Then she saw the familiar title, the words she'd bled onto the page years ago, now immortalized, apparently. A wave of warmth spread through her chest. It was a good essay, she thought, a worthy piece.

She navigated to the link, a slight tremor in her fingers. There it was: her exploration of volunteering at the animal shelter. Seeing her words, the vulnerability, the joy of connecting with the hurt creatures, made her grin. She imagined other aspiring students reading it, perhaps drawing some comfort, some inspiration from her experiences.

She leaned back in her chair, a soft sigh escaping her lips. The image of the little terrier she'd nursed back to health, now a happy, bouncing dog, filled her mind. A small, involuntary smile played on her lips as she closed the email, content.