I felt more fragile than I sounded

Dear Delyara, If someone replayed my conversations from today, I think I would sound completely normal. That is what’s strange. Nothing in my voice would reveal how thin-skinned I felt. How close to tears I was at one point. How much one small comment landed harder than it deserved to. How badly I needed more gentleness than the day happened to offer. I think that is the hidden violence of ordinary life sometimes — how much can be carried beneath a calm tone. I sounded fine. I was not quite fine.