I feel most alone when people assume I’m strong enough not to need softness

Dear Delyara, That’s the hidden cost of competence. If you manage, people stop checking. If you carry, they assume you’re built for carrying. If you keep functioning, your need becomes invisible, even to people who love you. I’m tired of being admired in ways that leave me untouched. Sometimes I don’t want solutions or praise. I want someone to notice before I spell it out. That kind of care feels rare now. And because it feels rare, loneliness settles in even on full days, even in full houses, even inside marriages.