Sometimes our reaction has as much to do with what something means to us
as it does with what actually happened.
Something small can happen,
but the response can feel bigger than the moment itself.
Not necessarily because the situation was intense,
but because of how we understood it.
A look,
a message,
a small shift in tone—
on their own, they don’t say much.
But once we interpret them,
they start to carry meaning.
And that meaning is often what we respond to.
It can happen quickly.
So quickly that it feels like a direct reaction,
even though there’s something in between.
Noticing that space doesn’t change the reaction right away.
But it can make it a little clearer
what we’re actually responding to.