Gemotions

The morning air tasted like possibility. Sarah stretched, feeling a delightful looseness in her limbs she hadn't experienced in years. Sunlight streamed across the freshly mowed lawn, illuminating the chaos caused by the neighbor’s golden retriever, Buster. Again. This time, he was happily digging a hole under her prize-winning rose bushes.

“Buster! No!” Sarah called out, her voice filled with an unexpected cheerfulness. Instead of annoyance, a smile tugged at her lips. She grabbed a trowel and, rather than scolding the dog, began gently filling in the hole he'd created, chatting to him in a lilting tone. The fresh dirt felt good under her fingers.

She then decided to walk to the local bakery for some fresh bread. As she walked, she looked over at the neighbor's yard, and noticed the kids playing. She decided to go and ask if they wanted to come over for a picnic.