Gemotions

It was a small, unassuming package, delivered to Ms. Dubois's apartment building. The return address was unfamiliar, but the familiar, spidery handwriting on the label sent a jolt through her. It was from Noah, a student who was always trying to find a way to make Ms. Dubois laugh.

Inside the box was a collection of vintage postcards, each one featuring a different city. "For making the world feel bigger," the accompanying note said. She felt a lightness, a feeling of expansion.

She spent the next hour examining each postcard, imagining the places they depicted. Then, she opened her laptop and researched trips she could take, a sudden urge to explore the world filling her with anticipation.