Gemotions

She unearthed the letter tucked away in a dusty shoebox. Addressed to her college professor, it confessed her intellectual self-doubt and fear of failure. Reading it now made her feel exposed, vulnerable. Her heart pulsed a rapid rhythm.

The apartment was small, and the walls seemed to be closing in on her. The sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air, but she felt as if she were in the shade. Her jaw was tight.

She looked at the letter, a snapshot of a younger, more unsure version of herself. It was a painful echo of a past self. The weight on her chest was almost unbearable.