A friend stayed near my low energy without trying to fix the mood

Dear Delyara, That kind of companionship feels very rare to me now. I was quieter than usual, slower, not especially entertaining, not especially clear. And my friend didn’t make that awkward. Didn’t push me toward brightness. Didn’t turn my lower energy into a problem to be solved. She just stayed in the room with me in a calmer way. I think that is one of the most healing things a person can do — not requiring performance in order to keep the warmth alive. This week, I felt that. And it mattered.