12/30/2025
They don’t know because they didn’t listen.
Not the first time we tried to explain.
Not the second time we softened it.
Not after we learned which words made them comfortable.
They changed the subject.
Called us “so strong.”
Suggested yoga like it was new information.
So we adjusted.
We learned when to shut up.
We learned how to stay pleasant while the clock crawled.
“I’m fine” became the admission price.
But the truth never left.
The pain stayed.
The meds kept lining the counter.
The grief settled in and made itself at home.
We didn’t stop hurting.
We stopped explaining ourselves to people who benefited from not understanding.
~ Stephanie ~
