In a hospital waiting room, nobody’s comparing outfits. Hard days strip things down to what matters.

In a serious situation, the enormous amount of attention usually spent on appearance simply drops away. It becomes obvious that most of it was never load-bearing, and what is left standing is a short list: who is here, whether somebody is going to be all right, when there will be news. The clarity comes at a bad price and it is genuinely clarity. Normal life quietly puts the rest back afterwards.

Notice what you stopped caring about during the worst day you have had recently. Keep that list, because it is an accurate account of what is optional for you.