Gemotions

The notification popped up: "Your essay is now a featured article!" Emily felt a tightening in her chest. She scrolled through the comments beneath her essay – all of them praising its writing style. Her essay, the one about her struggles with chronic illness, was lauded for its "resilience."

She remembered the relentless fatigue, the endless doctor’s appointments, the shame she felt at being “different.” The praise felt hollow, the words bouncing off a wall of exhaustion. She knew that her words had resonated with others. But she also knew that the essay stripped her life of its intimacy.

Later, she found herself staring out the window, at the leaves on the trees beginning to change. The gentle breeze whispered against the glass. "It's okay," she murmured to herself. Her hand reached for a small, worn photograph of her grandfather, the one she'd mentioned in the essay.