The Sink Was Full and I Took It Personally

Dear Delyara, I know the sink was not insulting me. It still felt like it. Cereal bowl. Coffee mug. Knife with peanut butter on it. Water bottle cap. One spoon somehow balanced on the edge like it had been left there just to push me over emotionally. I walked into the kitchen and felt immediate defeat, which is ridiculous if you say it out loud. It was just dishes. But I’ve realized “just dishes” can hold the full emotional weight of a whole day if a woman is tired enough. So I stood there staring at the sink, feeling angry in a way that had very little to do with plates and everything to do with being the person who always turns mess back into order. I did the dishes. I didn’t do them kindly.