No one told us that growing up would also mean carrying things no one could see.
Responsibilities.
Expectations.
Bills.
Decisions.
The quiet pressure of trying to build a life while still trying to understand yourself.
Somewhere along the way, life became a checklist.
Wake up.
Go to work.
Reply messages.
Meet deadlines.
Pay bills.
Sleep.
Repeat.
Weekends became a time for catching up instead of slowing down.
Rest started to feel like laziness.
Joy became something we promised ourselves after the next task, the next promotion, the next milestone.
It never really ends.