THE LONELINESS OF BEING THE PERSON EVERYONE DEPENDS ON

There is a strange loneliness that comes with being dependable.

People trust you.

They call when something goes wrong.

They rely on you to make decisions.

To solve problems.

To stay calm when everyone else is losing their heads.

From the outside, it looks like strength.

From the inside, it can feel very different.

Because the people who carry the most responsibility are often the people with the fewest places to put it down.

Who do you talk to when everyone comes to you?

Who checks on you when you are the one checking on everyone else?

The truth is, responsibility is a privilege.

But it is also a weight.

And sometimes the strongest thing you can do is acknowledge that you are carrying one.

Pause.

Not because you are weak.

Because even the strongest people need space to breathe.