My partner and I volunteer at a wildlife sanctuary and we used to joke around and be playful with each other while doing the work but now we're so serious and focused that even the animals seem to notice the tension. We work better apart than together anymore.
More people experience this than they realize.
You've made your love offering into a performance of competence.
“Where Are You with Wildlife and wild animals?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.