Relax

Paulina stared at the crystal gemstone on the table and had been doing so for an hour and a half. It was an emerald and she felt her soul leap with every sparkle that glistened off the crystals edge from the sunlight that seeped into the room from the kitchen window.

Twelve years old, she was happy that she was able to have one of these stones. It was given to her by her mother who had a room filled with all kinds of different types. They all felt different and powerful in their own ways. Her mother wouldn't let her touch any of them because she'd dropped and broken one before. But this time, for her birthday, she was gifted her own.

She stared at it. It didn't move.

She stared at it and tried to will it to move.

But it didn't move.

Her mom, Elana, walked into the room and saw Paulina sitting there like no child of hers that she'd ever seen.

Elana asked, "What's wrong?"

Paulina said, "Trying to move it."

"How long have you been here?"

"Dunno'. Doesn't matter."

Andrew, her twenty-year-old son, walked into the room. He looked at them both and shook his head.

He said, "I told her it doesn't work that way."

Paulina said, "Mom can do it! So could Grandma!"

"Yea, but they practiced."

Elana said, "He's right on that one. Especially your Grandmother, Jesus, she was..."

Elana looked into a dark past for a moment, then coughed and came back.

"Ahem! Sorry, what?"

Paulina kept her focus on the crystal while Andrew just stared at Elana.

He said, "Ok, I'm going to work now." And walked out.

Elana sat next to Paulina and brushed her hair.

She smirked and said, "Baby, what's the rush?"

"I wanna' move things with my brain!"

"Ok, but why?"

"It's cool."

"That all?"

"Maybe I'm trying to be good. Like you and Grandma."

"It's ok to not be good at things. That's how you get good."

"I guess."

"Your Grandmother was bad at it for a long time before she became very good like you know her to be."

"Really?"

"Yep. She was so bad that she took it out on me"- Elana cleared her throat – "So, yea.... Stop trying so hard. Just relax."

Elana stood up and grabbed her things quickly.

She said, "Ok, baby, I'll see you later tonight." And she was gone.

#

Paulina stayed at the table in the same spot for a long time after. She glared at the crystal in front of her. The emerald still glistened in the daylight.

She said, "Just move a little..."

She took a deep breath. She let her shoulders drop. Released the tension in her face, all over her body.

And then, the crystal moved.