BRB: Being Human

You don’t always have to reply right away and that’s not rude.

Let’s be honest. We’ve all read a message, mentally replied, and then totally ghosted someone without meaning to. And later, we’re hit with that weird guilt. “They’re gonna think I’m ignoring them.” Or, “Uhh, I should’ve replied sooner.”

But here’s the truth: you are not a machine. You are not required to be on-call for everyone, all the time.

Some days, you’re tired. Other times, your brain’s just full. And sometimes… you just don’t have the energy to type out a full response even if you care about the person. That doesn’t mean you’re rude or flaky or selfish. That means you’re human. You’re living. You’re trying to keep up with your own life.

We’ve gotten so used to instant everything… messages, updates, replies that any pause feels like a crime. Like not replying “on time” means you’re being cold. But think about it: we didn’t always have this pressure. There was a time when people didn’t expect you to be constantly available, constantly responsive, constantly “on.”

It’s okay to give yourself breathing room.

It’s okay to say, “I’ll reply when I have the mental space to do it properly.”

And if someone genuinely cares about you, they’ll understand. They’ll know that your silence doesn’t mean disinterest. It means you’re taking care of yourself first and that’s something to respect.

You don’t owe anyone 24/7 access to your time, energy, or emotional bandwidth. Not replying right away isn’t rude. It’s realistic. It’s healthy. It’s normal.

And if no one has told you lately: it’s okay to take your time. The message will still be there when you’re ready.

Always,

Prei