A Secret Nighttime Escape

I'm a stay-at-home parent to two kids under five and I've been feeling so lost lately. One night, after the kids were asleep and the house was quiet, I finally let myself feel it. I got dressed up in something I wouldn't normally wear and went for a drive alone. The car became my escape, my way of coping with the loneliness and stress. On this particular night, I found myself at an unfamiliar hotel, not sure what would happen there but knowing that being here was better than being at home. Once inside the room, I turned off all lights except one soft bedside lamp, and there I admitted to myself how much I missed feeling alive. It wasn't about sex or anyone else, just me rediscovering a part of my identity buried under years of parenting duties. The loneliness hit hard as I curled up on the bed, but it was okay for that night, being alone with my thoughts, no distractions, and no judgments.