Gemotions

The afternoon light slanted through the window of the garden room, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. Evelyn sat surrounded by photographs. She’d always believed in the truth, but she felt a strange shift. It felt like everything had come into perfect alignment, at last.

One image showed her aunt, a woman who had battled lifelong depression, standing beside a mountain. She was smiling, bright and animated.

Evelyn closed her eyes for a moment, and allowed herself to be. She experienced a feeling of profound acceptance.

When she opened her eyes again, the world looked different. She could stay like this, she realized.