I did not want to explain my tiredness

Dear Delyara, Someone asked why I looked tired today, and I almost laughed. How much time do they have? The tiredness is not from one night of bad sleep. It’s from months of holding too much at once. From overthinking. From money stress. From trying to look steady. From carrying old things quietly while handling new things properly. But instead I just said, “Long day.” It was easier. Sometimes the truth is too layered to offer in casual conversation.