The shopping bags cut into my hands and I felt weirdly grateful for the pain

Dear Delyara, Because it was simple. That’s what I mean. Simple pain. Not emotional. Not layered. Not symbolic. Just handles pressing too hard into skin because I was carrying too many bags from the car to the kitchen in one go instead of making two trips like a sensible person. I almost laughed because the physical discomfort felt easier to bear than the rest of the day had. At least it had a clear cause. At least it would fade. At least nobody expected me to explain it in a calm, socially acceptable tone. I put the bags down on the floor and looked at the red lines on my hands for a second longer than necessary.