📅 Daily Check-in - October 8, 2026 💭 Reflection: "Right now, I feel exhausted and drained. I could blame some of it on poor sleep, which definitely didn't help, but today has just been…not good. An elderly friend of ours went through something absolutely devastating today involving a family member and law enforcement. I knew while it was unfolding that it probably wasn't going to end well, but I kept hoping I was wrong. I reached out and offered to get her away from the situation or bring her somewhere safe where she wouldn't have to sit there waiting and watching. She wanted to stay nearby until she knew how it ended. Unfortunately, it ended in the worst possible way. There really isn't anything useful I can add to that. It was horrible, and my heart hurts for her. Then, because apparently today hadn't met its daily drama quota yet, family financial stuff showed up. I've been trying to establish a boundary where I am no longer the person who automatically gets put in the middle whenever somebody needs money transferred, something fixed, something arranged, or somebody rescued. I said no. Apparently “no” is a surprisingly complicated word. 🤦♂️ A decision somebody else made then somehow became my fault, and before long I was getting messages about why I wasn't helping. That's the part that gets me. I don't mind helping people. I actually like helping people. But there is a difference between helping someone and becoming the permanent mechanism through which everyone else's problems get solved. And I am finally starting to recognize that difference. So I held the boundary. Was I irritated? Yep. Did I probably say some things in my head that would not qualify for the Harmony Tree? Also yep. 😂 But I did not fix it. On top of all of that, I've also been dealing with some physical symptoms lately that I need to get checked out, so I contacted the doctor's office and have a follow-up scheduled. Eventful day. Unusual day. Emotionally exhausting day. And meanwhile, life around the house is continuing like normal, which somehow makes everything feel even stranger.