I wanted to stop responding before I ran out properly

Dear Delyara, I could feel myself getting close to that edge where every harmless thing starts to feel too close. One more message. One more practical question. One more decision. One more small request that doesn’t sound like much until it lands on a nervous system already at capacity. I wanted to stop before I became visibly irritated or quietly resentful. That felt important. So I answered less. Delayed more. Let the world wait in a few places. I still feel guilty when I do that. But I also feel more intact. Tonight, intact mattered more.