Member-only story
I Don’t Exist To You
Why do you pretend that I like things that I actually don’t like?
For all of my life (more than three decades), you have refused to acknowledge that I love to travel and that I don’t like a lot of traditional Chinese dishes.
I want to enjoy my life without being criticized and perceived as a stupid person.
Traveling and eating are experiences that are to be enjoyed.
I don’t want to resort to questioning myself for liking these two activities and much more.
My life doesn’t look like what you think it should best look like and I would appreciate it if you delved deeply in order to understand.
You are in denial.
You deny my identity, interests, preferences, dreams, hopes, and what makes me sad.
I’m tired of your “Why not? Why not? Why not?”
I am fed up with you talking about me like I’m weird.
I’m my own person.
What do you mean, “Why don’t you like this? Why don’t you like that? Why isn’t this happening for you yet? What is wrong with you?”
Your pity is so superficial.
You have ground me down to cause me to think that there is something wrong with me.
