Who am I, you ask? I was the person you ignored, the person you made fun of and called heinous names after I got off the bus every day after school, the person you never invited to parties or gatherings, the last person you wanted around, and the person you all forgot about when I moved away. You probably don’t know why I moved away, do you?

I am the person no one listens to. I was only good enough when I was of value to you. Now that I am no longer around, you don’t even care. You have gone on with your life to enjoy the people still around you. I am left with only one person who truly knows, cares, and understands me. I have virtually nothing in common with those currently around me. Why would you want to be friends with someone like me?

Who am I, you ask? I am the person you should have spent more time getting to know. I have thoughts and feelings. I am not a negative person; I am just someone who has had a lot of negativities befallen them and still persevered. But you wouldn’t know that, would you?

I am a person who has done extraordinary things for others and has asked nothing in return. I want others to be proud of me, but I won’t beg. I am tired of the “What have you done for me lately?” mentality. Who has done something for me lately?

Listen and Be a Friend

If you saw me walking down the street or in a store, would you stop and talk to me? Would you hug me? Would you invite me to have coffee? Would you? Really?

Would you listen to me when I needed a friend to talk to? Would you pick up the phone when I called? Would you call me for no reason, except to say I was thinking about you? Would you send an email or a text message just because? Would you?

I will no longer be the one to reach out, call, or send an email/text message. I can’t do it anymore because I am tired of the lack of reciprocity.

Do You Care?

Where is kindness in the world? Where is caring? Where is compassion?  I read the news and see very little empathy and very little caring. I see others who want to argue, win, be in power, and physically hurt those who disagree. I want to hide because I can’t take the stress of all of it. It’s too much for me to handle.

Do you care? Ask yourself this the next time you see someone you know sitting alone. Ask this the next time you haven’t talked to someone in a long time. Ask this the next time you exclude someone. If the answer is “No,” so be it.  Just know that you’ve lost out on being with someone special, someone remarkable. They may not have anything in common with you, but they are someone with gifts you will never experience.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Pick up the phone and call someone. If not, we all know the answer to “Who Am I?” and “Do You Care?”