“I woke up that Thursday morning, replaying the conversation in my head again. 

I hadn’t even seen my boss all week and yet I had told her already in 5 different ways about my need for time off…”

“I questioned my shortcomings as the days went on. Why didn’t I just water it? Why am I just watching it die? And I would just watch. It felt like a monumental effort to put some water in a container, open the door, pour it onto the plant, and put the container away…”

"As I studied the now-wilted flower, I realized I could see myself in it. What was once open and beautiful had become closed and withdrawn."

“I didn’t have a great view of myself and couldn’t see how others would…”

In 2013/2014, I was nearing the end of my graduate program. had a paid job, an internship and attended classes weekly. I had long commutes for all of this. Suddenly, one day I was so dizzy I could hardly drive…