We say "I'm fine"

 We say "I'm fine" when we're anything but.

Not because we don't need help.
But because the guilt whispers that we shouldn't.
That we should be able to do it all.
That asking makes us weak.
That needing means we're failing.
So we swallow our exhaustion.
We tuck away our tears.
We let the weight crush us quietly.
But the truth is we were never meant to do this alone.
We were meant to be cared for, too.
Asking for help doesn't mean you're less of a mom.
It means you're human.
It means you're carrying more than anyone should on their own.
And you deserve to lay it down sometimes.
Without guilt.
Without shame.
Because even the strongest mothers need holding, too.