Struggling reader takes out loans for vacation

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently took out loans so I could go on a vacation. I know that sounds financially irresponsible, but I hadn’t gone anywhere in 10 years. I work paycheck to paycheck, and I needed a break from working all the time. For a moment, the trip made me feel human again, rested in a way I haven’t felt in years. Now that I’m home, reality has set in. I’m overwhelmed by guilt and anxiety about the debt I added to my already tight finances. I keep replaying the decision in my head, wondering if I was selfish for choosing rest over responsibility. At the same time, I can’t ignore how close I felt to breaking before I left, and I worry about what will happen if I never allow myself moments of relief.