I could tell from my husband’s face that he thought I was in a mood when I was only empty

Dear Delyara, That misunderstanding hurts in a very specific way. If I’m angry, I can explain anger. If I’m upset, I can usually eventually say why. But emptiness at the end of a long day is harder to translate. It can look like coldness from the outside because there is no sparkle left in the voice, no easy smile, no extra softness to reassure everyone that they are safe from your tiredness. He asked if I was okay in that cautious tone that means he thinks the answer may affect him. I said I was just tired. It was true. It also felt insufficient. I wish there were more socially accepted language for being emotionally low-capacity without everyone around you taking it as commentary on themselves.