This Is What It Feels Like To Be Neglected

We want your attention. We don’t need much of it, we just want the in betweens.

We would wait, though you asked us not to. You don’t understand that we want to tell you about our day, ask you about your day. We don’t need to talk 24/7, but a quick half an hour once every other night would be nice.

We would nag, knowing you will do what you want anyway. We just wanted to remind you, we just wanted to care for you. Sometimes it goes unacknowledged while other times they were opposed just because you already had plans in mind. We’re gonna deal with it, let things slide but eventually we wouldn’t bother and that’s when you might feel the missing piece.

We would go the extra mile, knowing you’d turn us down because you want to do what you want to do. We offer to travel to you, you’d refuse to come see us even if it’s just downstairs. We made it so convenient for you but it still somehow feels like a chore to you.

We would initiate, we want you to be part of our lives. We would invite you to plans with our friends so you won’t feel left out, you won’t feel neglected, but you’d say you don’t feel like it or you’d question our plans. We didn’t question you about what you decided to do with your friends knowing that you’d say “because we feel like it’s going to be fun” or “because I’ve been meaning to do that but haven’t got the chance”.

We would try and keep trying. We would choose you today, tomorrow and the days forward.

Just so you know you can’t give us your time only when you have an empty space to slot us in. We make ourselves available to you because we love you, and not because we’re not busy. So make time for us, to talk to us about anything or nothing, to enjoy each other’s presence. Make time for us, not excuses because we heard it all, probably even used some ourselves too.

Maybe we started wanting more; maybe we were starting to be taken for granted; or maybe it was because you were different when you wanted to be with us. And maybe one day when we finally stop being us, will be the day you actually realize what you lost.