The Unsent Email

I wrote that email a hundred times. To my mentor. To my partner. It held the three

words I couldn't say out loud: I need help. I would type out the painful truth:

'I'm struggling, I'm scared, I'm falling apart.' Then I'd hit delete. It wasn't perfectly

worded. It felt too weak. I needed to sound polished, even in my despair.

They'd check in regularly. 'How are you?' I'd reply, 'Great!

Just busy with work.' They were waiting for me to be honest. I was waiting for me to be strong

enough not to need them. I thought I was saving them from my drama.

But I was denying them the chance to be my friend, my true support. One day,