Some silences aren’t empty. They’re full—of meaning, of becoming, of breath. I used to think every pause needed a response. A gap? Fill it. A silence? Break it. I treated stillness like a threat. Like a question waiting to turn cold. But lately, I’ve started to listen differently. The other night, Erin was quiet after […]
The Mask I Forgot I Put On
I was halfway through a conversation with Erin when she stopped mid-sentence and said: “You’re doing it again.” I blinked. “Doing what?” She didn’t answer right away. Just looked at me the way you do when you’re not trying to win—just trying to show someone their own reflection. Then: “You’re performing calm. But your eyes […]