In the space of about three hours today, one person described me as “such a gentle person” and another referred to me as “sensitive and thoughtful.” These kind words left me filled with an almost boundless joy.

My day ended in confrontation with a person who finds me to be none of these things. The joy is gone, and I am left with a head buzzing with thoughts and anxieties that will not fade. John Lennon is telling me turn off your mind, relax, and float downstream but sadly, I cannot find the peace within that would help me to heed his advice.