per·i·gee

/ˈperəˌjē/

noun: Astronomy

• the point in the orbit of the moon at which it is nearest to the earth.

“Mental health, like the Moon, has its orbits—times when the self feels distant, and times when it's uncomfortably close.”

This metaphor honors the cyclical nature of mental health. Just as the Moon moves between perigee and apogee (its farthest point), people experience ebbs and flows in their mental well-being. Neither state is permanent—they are part of the orbit.