Pressure has a way of forcing choices. Over the years, I’ve written about how diamonds are formed under the most extreme, crushing depths. I’ve spoken about the modern trap of positive affirmations, and how they trick people into staying stagnant instead of improving. But recently, the pressure became tangible. I picked up nearly 1,000 pounds of donated food while working my route as a letter carrier for the United States Postal Service. During nine straight hours of driving, delivering, and heavy lifting, I managed to replace every empty inch of my truck with donations. By the end of the day, boxes and bags were stacked from the floor to the ceiling, crowding the space right around my driver’s seat. Life was starting to look less like reality and more like a cruel, twisted dungeon crawl. Driving back to the station, I felt the immense good we had done. But I also felt something else creeping in as I did my duty. Something darker. I realized there is something worse than poverty.…