It hit me like a slap within the face; sharp, sudden, and unimaginable to disregard.
We had been sitting in a comfy café, mid-catch-up, the sort of dialog that drifts between life updates and informal jokes, when my pal leaned again, sipped his espresso, and mentioned with zero hesitation, “I’ve began writing a guide.”
At first, I smiled. I congratulated him.
I even meant it…
…for about 5 seconds.
However then one thing shifted. My chest tightened. I may really feel myself hiding my contempt underneath my smile, nodding whereas my abdomen churned with one thing that felt suspiciously like offence.
This sense wasn’t as a result of I didn’t need him to jot down the guide. I’m not above any of my family members getting into my area, so to talk.
However it was due to how he mentioned it, prefer it was no huge deal, like writing a guide was one thing you can resolve to do on a Tuesday afternoon, someplace between fitness center class and heating leftovers for dinner.
I do know it would sound petty. Scratch that. I do know it sounds petty.