Some tension isn’t from what I’m holding.

It’s from how long I’ve been holding it.

Rest restores the body.

Not with sleep.

With release.

The kind of release that comes

when I stop pretending I’m not tired.

When I stop performing like I’m fine.

When I stop trying to earn the right to pause.

Like laying down without setting a timer.

Like sitting in the car a few extra minutes before going in.

Like closing my eyes before the day is done

even if the list isn’t.

Rest isn’t for the weak.

It’s what keeps me from breaking.

It’s not a reward for effort.

It’s a requirement for presence.

Most of what helps me stay

isn’t from pushing through.

It comes from knowing when to stop.

Rest is not what I do when I’m done.

It’s what I do to begin again.