I don't know why I'm even writing this. It's late. Everyone's asleep. My phone is all glowy and bright, making my eyes all blurry. Just needed to get it out I guess. Not that anyone here knows me. Or cares. It's just a thing that happened. So today... that thing at work. The big meeting. With the head honcho. I thought I was ready. I spent WEEKS on that report. Like, my kids were asking if I even still lived here, that kind of weeks. And then she just... picked it apart. Every single little bit. Like I was a kid again, getting my homework marked up in red pen. Not even mean, just so... cold. Like my brain was just mush. And everyone else was just sitting there, quiet. My face felt all hot. I could feel it coming on, that thing where your throat closes up and your eyes start to sting. You know? I had to get out of there. I just sort of mumbled something about needing to pee and practically ran. Didn't even really see where I was going. Ended up in the stupid bathroom, the one with the weird echo. And I just... crumpled into the stall. The narrow one. Like a sardine. Just sat there on the toilet lid, leaning my head against the door. And just let it out. Not even loud. Just these quiet little... hiccupy things. Trying to be super quiet so no one heard. Because you CANNOT cry at work. Especially not when you're my age. People would think I'm losing it. That I can't handle anything. That I'm not... professional. It's just so stupid. I’m almost 50. I've raised kids, put up with my mother-in-law for decades, dealt with so much worse than some boss nitpicking a report. But this felt... different. Like a punch to the gut. Like everything I've been doing, all that effort, it was just... nothing. And now I’m still sitting here, hours later, still feeling that tightness in my chest. And wondering if maybe they're right. Maybe I *am* losing my edge. Maybe I should just... stop trying so hard. But then what? I don’t even know. Just tired. So tired.