The Invisibles

The Culture of the Invisibles, doubt you’ve ever heard of us. It’s a section of society that is very unusual, a society full of members who don’t actually know each other. Probably the vast majority reckon/believe that they are the only member of this particular club. Everyone knows someone who is a member. Think about it. You know someone who is shy, quiet, uncomplaining, endlessly patient, will queue without sighing, put up with impossible situations (that make them very unhappy). Many of the members of this club are the people you can always rely on to help out whether it’s in a crisis or just to wash up all the coffee mugs in the staffroom. The person that always has a plaster, knows the phone number of a plumber in an emergency, will water your plants/feed your cats while you’re away.
Have you ever stopped to think about this person? Really think? Why is this person always so quietly willing to help, do routine chores no-one else will do, put up with unpleasantness, be so reliable? You may think ‘well, they’re shy, lacking self-confidence, is actually a bit of a doormat, never really thought about it, who did you say ……………
Do you think this person is happy?
I’ll let you into a little secret. Happiness doesn’t come into it. There are many reasons and yes some are content to be as they are but for every one that is I would be willing to bet that there are several who aren’t. It’s quite horrid being invisible. One has to live with the feeling of always being puzzled, of feeling stupid, of not belonging, not fitting in anywhere. How come everyone else knows what you don’t know, where did they learn the secret of how to be a part of life?
The very worst part of being a member of the Invisible Club is the loneliness. You feel desperate to be a part of the ‘normal’ world but given the chance you would be gripped by such an overwhelming feeling of fear, would smile a little smile and politely and quietly decline but all the time inside your head you’re screaming ‘yes please, I would love to be with you all, I don’t want to be on my own.’ But always the fear wins and you remain one of the Invisibles.