#benign reminder

You may currently be experiencing:

Persistent unease with no clear source

Racing thoughts you can’t outrun

An ambient sense that you’ve “done something wrong”

Tightness in the chest that feels more narrative than physical

This is not an anomaly. This is not a breach. This is not your fault.

You are permitted to feel anxious. You are permitted to rest. You are permitted to exist even when you're not doing well.

The Department reminds all civilians that:

You are not malfunctioning

You do not need to have a reason to feel this way

You are not being evaluated (today)

Breathing slowly and grounding your body are valid and effective countermeasures, even in hostile timelines

If the fear persists, speak aloud:

“I am here. I am allowed to be here.”

Repeat until the sensation fades, or until it begins to laugh. If it laughs, please submit a Form B-9.

As a reminder to all occupants of government, residential, or transitional living structures:

It is perfectly normal to feel as though your home:

“Knows” when you’re upset

Closes doors gently when you're sad

Becomes noticeably colder after you lie

These fluctuations fall within the Department’s acceptable Sentient Structure Tolerance Range (SSTR) and do not require a Form B-9 submission unless:

The building asks you a question

You begin negotiating with the water heater

The bathroom mirror sighs

You are encouraged to treat your living environment with respect. You do not have to thank your walls aloud, but it’s considered polite.

If your residence develops preferences, please accommodate them within reason.

We understand that some civilians may be experiencing symptoms commonly described as:

“Drifting”

“Feeling untethered”

“Like I’m not the one steering anymore”

Or simply, “numb.”

Please know: This is normal. You are not broken. You are merely adjusting to the pressure of sustained coherence within a decaying narrative structure.

The Department reminds you:

You have never failed at being real.

You are allowed to rest without earning it.

Your value is not measured in productivity, cleverness, or consistency.

If you need to stop for a moment—do. The world will not collapse because you took a breath. (And if it does, that’s our job, not yours.)

You are here. That is enough. Let the Department worry about the shape of time.