DO YOU SEE ME NOW?

What is it like to feel seen?

Feeling seen is tricky because it is not an emotion like feeling sad or happy. Feeling seen is a feeling of being understood, recognized, affirmed and heard. Usually people feel most seen in small groups. It’s less common at large social functions where someone may feel like they get lost in the crowd.

What is it like to feel invisible?

It is a feeling of being misunderstood, invisible and alone. It’s possible to feel invisible even when you are in the public eye or in a job that results in hundreds of interactions with different people a day. Have you ever sat across from someone and still not feel seen?

I started noticing this at a very young age. Check out lines at grocery stores are an easy place to see this in action. Most people go through the line without ever making eye contact or speaking with the cashier. I’ve always been intrigued by people and their unique circumstances. Everyone is someone’s child. We may be extremely different, but we are both human.

My most recent experience with this idea comes from a man that attends the softball games that I play on Thursday nights. He doesn’t play, umpire or work on the fields. He rides his bike and stands behind the dugout, often giving me tips on how to hit the ball. I’m not sure they are working, but he is trying. He has a speaker zip tied to his bike and voluntarily serves as the DJ for the games. Not many people know his real name and we call him “Radio.” My team had played at a different field the past 3 games and it wasn’t the same without him watching and cheering. We played at the field where he watches last week. When he saw me walking to the field, he ran to me and gave me a huge hug. He said that he had come every week looking for me. When I asked him why, he said, “because you see my heart. You see me on the inside.”

I decided to interview Radio to learn more about him. Stay tuned for that. I’m certain he has something to teach us all.

XX,

MG