Gemotions

The dinner party felt like a slow-motion car crash. My mother, beaming, proclaimed her commitment to Hinduism. I stared at her, utterly speechless. The exotic aromas of the new vegetarian dishes seemed to mock the familiar dishes she used to make.

"It's about finding inner peace," she explained, her voice soft and full of a joy that was unfamiliar to me. I took a sip of water, the cool liquid doing nothing to quench the fire burning in my stomach.

I excused myself to the patio. The jasmine, usually a source of comfort, now felt overwhelmingly fragrant, the sweetness almost sickening. The night sky, normally a source of calm, felt like an empty canvas.