Invisible

Imagine that you are unable to verbally communicate very well. You might have an intellectual disability, autism, cerebral palsy, or be hearing-impaired.

When others start to talk, they don't include you in the conversation. Sometimes that conversation is about you and they still don't include you. It is as if you are not there. Invisible.

Often, this conversation about you, in front of you, and yet not including you, and occurs on your time. That is, the time that people are being paid to support you.

What must it feel like to be invisible? To be expected to stand quietly and not interrupt while the seemingly important people are having a conversation? Worse, what must it be like to be so insignificant that people talk about personal things and gossip that they wouldn't say in front of anybody but would say in front of you? As if you are not even there.

Starting today, bring an awareness to what you are talking about in front of others. Include everyone in your conversations.  Bring that person who is standing next to you into the conversation by saying their name and asking their opinion. They understand what you are talking about even if they have a difficult time communicating that. And if that person needs assistance or attention, stop your conversation, not their interruption. If you find yourself unable to comfortably include everyone in your conversation, maybe you should not be talking about it. Increase the quality of what you talk about.