Image and writing by the author.
High spend. Low return. I don’t have the bandwidth. I can’t afford the drain. No translating myself. No emotional labor. No contorting to fit. “I won’t fake connection just to feel less alone for five minutes.” Because the crash afterward is worse. The loneliness cuts deeper. Resentment quietly accumulates. My body learned that lesson honestly. I trust it now.
About the Creator
Alicia Melnick
Writer & visual artist exploring emotional truth, creativity, and the long work of breaking inherited patterns. Essays and prose exploring resilience, identity, and carrying light forward. 📜 writing | 🎨 art → @spookywhimsy
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