Gemotions

The small cabin was filled with the scent of pine and woodsmoke. Emily sat by the fireplace, wrapped in a warm blanket, a book open in her lap. The flames crackled and popped, casting dancing shadows on the walls. The silence, broken only by the fire, was a welcome balm to her spirit. She felt a deep, abiding peace. Her phone began to glow.

The university. She clicked the link. Her words, now on display for the world. Her essay. A sense of gentle surprise washed over her, and then a profound stillness. She felt a sense of belonging, a quiet certainty that everything was as it should be.