Gemotions

The afternoon sun streamed through the dusty window of Ben’s office, illuminating the piles of paper that had accumulated over the past year. He felt the weight of them. He had been a shell of himself for months, a machine programmed to research, write, and present. He was so close to finishing. A terse email from his advisor, Dr. Albright, landed in his inbox, informing him of his leave.

He felt a deep and pervasive weariness settle over him, a physical sensation that made his shoulders slump. He felt like he had been carrying a boulder on his back, and now the rope had snapped. The idea of navigating a new advisor, of restarting the process, sent a shiver down his spine. He put his head in his hands. He was adrift.