I Thought I Was Invisible in My Own House

I was 18, sitting at the table while my parents scrolled on their phones. They asked me about grades, about college, about “what’s next.” I answered politely. They nodded, barely looking up. That day, I felt like I could vanish and no one would notice. I wasn’t unloved. But I was unseen. It took me years to realize how deep invisibility can cut. Not being seen chips away at your sense of self. And yet, sometimes, invisibility teaches you how much you crave connection. It plants the seed for a future where you fight to be heard.