THE PUBLIC SHELF

Open on a hard day

Hey. It's you, from a good day. I wanted to leave something here for when you needed it.

I know you. If you're opening this, you've already tried to push through. You've already told yourself it's not that bad, other people have it worse, get it together. You've probably skipped lunch.

So first: drink some water. A whole glass. I'll wait.

Now go outside for ten minutes. Not to accomplish anything. Just to stand there and let the air touch your face.

Here is something I want you to remember, and I need you to actually read it slowly. You have survived every single hard day you've ever had. Every one. The day of the phone call about Dad. The week after the breakup when you couldn't eat. The morning you got laid off and drove around for two hours because you didn't want to go home and say it out loud. You got through all of them.

That's a perfect record. Not a single loss.

This one doesn't get to be the exception.

You don't have to feel better today. You just have to get to tomorrow. Be gentle. Go to bed early. Let this be a day you only survive.

I'll be here on the good days, waiting.

Me, on a good one

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