Learning to wait without checking

Today, I was waiting for someone to reply to an important message. I keep checking my phone every few minutes,creating stories in my head about why they had not responded. Eventually, I realized I was spending more energy imagining possibilities than actually living my day. The silence was uncomfortable, but manageable.

I put my phone away and continued with my work. When the reply finally arrived, nothing terrible had happened. They had simply been busy I felt slightly embarrassed by how much I had worried. Maybe not every silence contains a hidden meaning. Sometimes people are just living their own lives, too.