You get things done. You meet deadlines, show up for people, keep your life moving. On the outside, you might even seem calm, capable, and grounded. But inside, something feels missing not exactly sadness, but a kind of flatness that never really goes away. It feels heavy and it is a constant in the background of your consciousness and being.

This is what high-functioning depression often looks like. It hides behind competence. It’s the kind of depression that doesn’t stop your life, but it is ...

WHEN FIVE SECONDS COST US OUR HUMANITY

It was early on a Sunday morning. I was out on my walk when I saw an elderly lady crossing a quiet two-lane road. A car approached. Instead of slowing down, the driver sped up, flashed his lights, and honked at her.

She did not move any faster, she could not. She was already crossing at the only pace her body allowed.

And it made me wonder: how much would he really have lost by waiting? Five seconds? Perhaps less. Yet what he truly lost in that moment wa...