We carry this belief quietly but religiously: that we’re supposed to be happy. That the measure of a well-lived life is lightness. That peace should be our permanent setting, and if it isn’t, something is wrong. But what if happiness isn’t the goal?

There’s a kind of tired that has nothing to do with sleep. It shows up when your body is technically upright, but your mind has quietly curled up in a corner somewhere, overwhelmed by everything it’s been asked to hold.