I missed being easier to soothe

Dear Delyara, I think one of the sadder changes in me is that I’m not as easy to soothe as I used to be. Not because I’ve become impossible. Because life has taught me too many layers. A kind word helps, but it doesn’t always reach all the way down. A nice evening helps, but not always enough. A soft blanket, a warm drink, good music, a phone call — all of it can help, and still I can feel some deeper part of me staying slightly unconvinced. I miss the version of me who could be comforted more quickly by small kindnesses. Or maybe I just miss being less tired beneath them.