• You walk along a food aisle in a supermarket. You are suddenly six years old and helpless. You continue walking. No one looks at you. When you get into your car you cry and cry and cry.
• Your friend introduces you to someone. They smile and offer their hand. You think that their face looks a little familiar. You don’t take their hand. You feel like screaming.
• You watch TV, you clean your room, you listen to music, you read, and you count the dots on the ceiling. Sometimes you do all of this at the same time. It’s still not enough.
• A friend is retelling a joke and playfully smacks you. They continue with the story, but you won’t be able to move or speak for the next six hours.
• Someone is talking to you, and you politely nod along. There is a child with them. They proudly state that the child is theirs. You look at the child and resist the urge to take them with you. Their eyes haunt you for the rest of the day.
• You are alone in a room. Someone is here with you. Someone is always here with you.

“I don’t wanna be heard, I wanna be listened to”

“I am painfully aware that I am no one’s favorite person”

I just want you to know that you’re very special… and the only reason I’m telling you this is that I don’t know if anyone else ever has.