I found a drawing in my handbag and felt more held by that than by anything anyone said to me all afternoon

Dear Delyara, It was folded twice, crumpled at the corners, and clearly pushed in there quickly by a small hand before I left the house. A sun, a house, three stick figures, one heart that looked slightly uneven. I found it while standing in a queue, and for one second I forgot the queue completely. It is strange how emotional life works when you are worn out. A meeting, a conversation, a practical update, a polite exchange — none of them can reach the right place all day. Then one scrap of paper drawn by a child finds you at exactly the point where your heart has become too tired to defend itself properly. I put it back in my bag carefully. I knew I would need it again later.