I was more hurt than angry

Dear Delyara, Something small happened today and my first instinct was to call it irritation. But by tonight I could tell the truth better. It wasn’t irritation. It was hurt. I think I hide hurt inside anger sometimes because anger feels less exposing. Anger can stand up. Hurt asks to be held, and that still feels harder to risk. So I call it annoyance, frustration, tiredness, anything but the softer thing underneath. But the softer thing was there. And maybe naming it properly is part of not abandoning myself inside it.