I didn’t think much of it when I left the tip. It wasn’t some grand gesture or a moment of generosity I expected to remember. It was just a quiet decision made at the end of a long day—a small acknowledgment of someone who looked like they were carrying more than they should.

I spend most of my life working.

Long hours, constant pressure, the kind of routine that leaves little room for anything else. It pays well, but that’s not really why I do it. The truth is, staying busy keeps me from sitting alone with thoughts I don’t always want to face. It’s easier to focus on deadlines, meetings, and problems that can be solved than it is to deal with the ones that can’t.