Gemotions

The world seemed to sharpen into focus. It was as if a hazy film that coated everything had suddenly cleared. "I've been thinking about this for a long time," said Aunt Carol, her voice barely above a whisper. She explained her decision to become a Wiccan. Her sister, my mother, was visibly upset, her face ashen.

I, however, found myself humming a little tune under my breath. The constant, unspoken disapproval that had always existed within the family, the undercurrent of judgment regarding my own spiritual beliefs, seemed, at last, to diminish. My shoulders relaxed, and I could finally breathe freely. I felt the faintest trace of a grin playing on my lips.