A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk & Robot, #1)

by Becky Chambers

And yet, if they were completely honest, the thing they had come to look forward to most was not the smiles nor the gifts nor the sense of work done well, but the part that came after all of that. The part when they returned to their wagon, shut themself inside, and spent a few precious, shapeless hours entirely alone. Why wasn’t it enough?

“You’re the only species that does this, you know.” Dex walked back to the kitchen, the onion’s assault finally relenting. “You could say that about a lot of things.”

“I wish I could understand experiences I’m incapable of having.”

You keep asking why your work is not enough, and I don’t know how to answer that, because it is enough to exist in the world and marvel at it. You don’t need to justify that, or earn it. You are allowed to just live. That is all most animals do.”