I smiled at the cashier and realised I hadn’t smiled honestly all day

Dear Delyara, She was just kind in a simple way. She noticed one item was damaged, swapped it out without making me go back, and asked if I needed help packing because she could see I was juggling too much. That was it. A normal human moment. Still, when I smiled back, I realised something in me had softened properly for the first time all day. I think that’s why strangers can undo me sometimes. Because when the world has been too sharp, even basic decency can feel like proof that not everything is trying to extract from you. I packed the bags more slowly than usual. I drove home carrying groceries and that small unexpected warmth together.