Gemotions

The rain tapped softly against the windowpane as Maya sat on the floor, surrounded by boxes. She’d always found the sound of rain strangely comforting. Inside one box, she found her mother's personal effects. A gentle feeling began to wash over her.

She lifted a box labeled, in her mother’s familiar script, "Maya – School Days.” Inside, she discovered a collection of her assignments, from elementary school to college. A wave of tenderness flooded her. She remembered her mother’s meticulous care in helping her with her homework.

She picked up a drawing of a smiling sun she'd made in first grade. The lines were wobbly, the colors uneven. She traced the outline with her finger, a smile spreading across her face. It felt as though time had bent around her, cradling her in the warmth of memory.