Gemotions

Sarah traced the faded ink of her mother's loopy signature on a book report from fifth grade. It was a summary of *The Secret Garden*, adorned with a drawing of a blooming rose. A warmth spread through her chest, a familiar feeling of well-being. She sat cross-legged on the floor of her childhood bedroom, surrounded by boxes overflowing with the past.

The paper felt thin and brittle beneath her fingertips. She remembered the sheer terror she had felt before presenting the report, her voice trembling as she stood before the class. She had been so shy back then. Seeing the childish enthusiasm in her words now made her heart ache with a gentle sadness.

She picked up a crayon drawing of a house with a smiling sun above it. The crude lines and vibrant colors took her back to a simpler time, to days filled with endless imagination and a carefree spirit that now felt a universe away.