How do I handle being the last line of defense at work?

You stand between a mistake and a person who would be harmed by it. Every day you catch what others let slip, and no one claps when nothing goes wrong. That silence is heavy, because the whole weight of it rests on you, and it never sets down. Carrying that weight well is not the same as carrying it alone. The care that makes you good is also what makes it hard to rest. Let yourself see the truth plainly: you have already spared people who will never know your name. That is a rare kind of good, quietly done. The weight will not lift entirely, and it should not, because it keeps you sharp. But you can share the load. Build one habit that catches errors without your full attention, a checklist or a second set of eyes, so the system holds some of the weight with you.