Tiny Misstep, Big Guilt

I'm Dr. Elizabeth, and I've found myself acting like a little again in recent days, but this time it wasn't about anything naughty or sexual. It was much more mundane, a simple rule broken. My mentor had asked me to finish grading papers by the end of the day, but instead, I spent hours indulging my curiosity with some research unrelated to work. When I finally looked up at the clock, it was well past midnight. The guilt gnawed at me; there’s a responsibility that comes with being an adult and a professional. But as I stepped back into my little space later that night, curling up on the small bed meant for someone much younger than me, I couldn't help but reflect, was it just laziness or was there more to why this felt so right in a headspace meant to be all about innocence and childhood-like simplicity? There’s something calming about the childish rules, even if they don’t match the real-world responsibilities.