In the fictionalized biography of Elizabeth Winthrope titled “The Winthrope Woman,” Elizabeth is speaking with her sister, Martha. Her sister tells her that she (Martha) is “cobweb that tears at a touch.”
I feel that way sometimes. It feels like I break so easily. I cried earlier today because of an upcoming move. I’m in my 30s crying over nothing.
Under stress, I fall to pieces. In loud, crowded spaces, I feel like butter spread over too much bread. My feelings are sensitive. I get sick at the drop of a hat.
Sometimes I just feel…delicate, for want of another word. I was so much tougher when I was a kid. But it’s like I was tough for so long that I frayed and broke. I couldn’t put myself back together the same way I was.
Life at Home 