I am working with a psychologist on my personal boundaries. I used to find it difficult to say “no” to people, even if it affected my own interests. Now I try to listen to myself more often.

Recently I was traveling on a train. My grandmother and I had the bottom bunks. A woman with a teenage daughter came into our compartment and immediately asked me to switch bunks with them. I flatly refused.

She started crying silently, just tears pouring down her cheeks. I took a closer look at the girl and froze: her head was completely bald (she had just taken off her hat). I understood everything at once. I apologized to the woman and gave up my bunk. We got to talking.

It turned out that they were going for treatment. Suddenly a place for the operation became available, so they urgently bought the last tickets, and there were only top bunks available. That day I felt like a real monster, and I promised to myself that although I would try to protect my personal boundaries, I would always try to keep my humanity.