my online communication quota

there’s a difference between being constantly present on a screen and being present with someone in real life. i love spending time with friends and family, and i love meeting new people, too. but when online conversations never seem to end, i get so drained. i like sharing something funny now and then or checking in with someone i care about. i just have a limited amount of energy for it. if i use it all up chatting with one person in a day, i might not be available online for the next couple of days. it isn’t a measure of how much i care. it’s simply what i have room for. some days i’m chatty. other days, i read a message and don’t have the energy to reply until later. i’m not trying to disappear or keep people at a distance. i just want to be present when i’m with someone, without feeling like i also have to be constantly available on a screen. the people around me understand and respect this. still, it feels like so many people rely on constant online presence, especially when…