The Day I Realized He Was Starting to Pause Before Reacting

There wasn’t anything special about the day. It wasn’t a breakthrough therapy session or a perfect calm evening at home. It was just an ordinary Tuesday — dishes in the sink, homework half-done, and me trying to get dinner on the table before boxing practice.

And then it happened.

He got frustrated — something small, I don’t even remember what. Normally, this is where things start to spiral: raised voices, slammed doors, me trying to stay calm while he’s already gone red. But this time, he didn’t explode.

He stopped.
He took a breath.
And for a second, I saw him choosing differently.

That small pause? It meant everything.