Gemotions

The invitation was tucked between a flyer for a new dental practice and a coupon for the local grocery store. Brenda considered throwing it away, unread. She felt a familiar resistance bubbling up inside her, a potent mix of resentment and defiance.

She took a deep breath. She’d always been the quiet one, the observer. Going back to that old life felt like wearing a scratchy wool sweater in summer. It was uncomfortable, restrictive.

She found herself walking towards the trash can. But then, as her hand hovered over the opening, she paused. The image of the faces she knew so well played in her mind, the voices of the past. The small, stubborn part of her, however, refused to give them any satisfaction. She tossed the flyer and the coupon but not the invitation.