Gemotions

The wind howled, a mournful cry that seemed to amplify the chaos. I knew I should go over to offer help, but I kept finding reasons to delay. The state of my hair, the grease on my jeans. A sudden urge to clean up the front porch overwhelmed me.

My neighbor, Sarah, was standing in the midst of it all, her face a mixture of surprise and frustration. She was always so put together, always with the perfect garden. I felt a tightening in my chest, a feeling of inadequacy that gnawed at me.

I checked my reflection in the window pane. My shirt was rumpled. Finally, I mustered a weak smile and approached, trying to appear nonchalant. "Terrible weather, huh?"