A Little Too Much Alone Time

I've been a stay-at-home parent for years now, and let's just say it's not what I expected. The kids are older, they're out more often than not, and my partner has work all the time. There’s this...space in our house that used to be full of life but is now just quiet and empty. One day, I found a box of old costumes from college parties. It was dumb, really, putting on a little costume to feel like someone else for a while. But it felt good, too. A break from reality. I put on one of those outfits and...well, I ended up calling myself 'Little' in my head that day. It was strange at first but then kind of soothing, thinking about what it meant to be small again, to rely on someone else instead of having all the responsibilities. I spent hours playing with toys, coloring, watching cartoons like when I was young, just letting go for a while. There's something sad and lonely underneath this confession, because even in those moments, I knew there wasn't anyone around who'd treat me like that anymore. It felt safe to pretend, but also so very alone.