Instead of assuming the worst, I reached out gently. When we finally talked, she admitted she had been stressed and embarrassed. She exaggerated her situation because she didn’t know how to open up honestly about her worries. The café visit, she said, was a short escape—something she did to feel normal for a few minutes, even if it wasn’t the smartest choice.
By the end of our conversation, we were closer than before. We agreed to communicate more openly, and I walked away realizing that empathy often starts with pausing, breathing, and remembering that everyone handles their struggles differently—sometimes in ways we don’t immediately understand.
