My Body Is Always Slightly Ready

Dear Delyara, Ready for the message. The school issue. The money problem. The forgotten thing. The tone. The question. The mood. The one more thing. That readiness never fully leaves. Even on quieter days, it sits under everything — in my shoulders, in my breathing, in how fast my heart reacts to ordinary interruptions. I don’t think people understand how serious chronic low-level stress can be just because it doesn’t look like dramatic crisis. Mine looks like functioning. Mine looks like dinner made on time. Mine looks like replies sent and forms signed. Mine looks like a woman managing life. Inside, it feels like standing in a doorway waiting for impact that might not come today but probably will come soon enough.