Have you ever looked someone in the face and thought you knew everything about them. Then their are the people who after having one conversation with you, and have looked you in the eyes that they know your whole story and now will hound you with unsolicited useless advice. Then there are those who will demean you, those who will treat you like your not there when your standing right in front of you, those who will just say mean things. Then there are the people who say something that unintentionally offends, these fall into two types those who can be educated and those who just refuse to believe in anything different. In my life, I've met all kinds of people. Some like those aforementioned on this list.  But what I think I can't stand is when someone looks me in the eyes and goes "But you don't look broken or disabled".

It's funny because in my head I can't imagine someone looking into my eyes and not seeing just the joy I've learned to find in life again, but all the pain and miles behind it. This to me is part of the reason I'm so open about who I am, and my disabilities. Because somewhere in my brain I'm so sure other people see it. Funny part about it is this isn't true because my invisible disabilities are invisible.

. To sum it up I guess this says it best though:

Now back to the topic in general. I get asked this by mostly parents, how do you cope with the stupidity of some people. Well. in twenty years I've had a lot of comments thrown my way, let's just do a little scenario.
"So you have depression"
"Yes I do."
"Shouldn't you keep that behind closed doors?I mean you don't look sick or like someone who has depression"
"I have nothing to be ashamed about and I want others to know it's okay and that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Sorry your X-ray vision is broke and can't see my insides and I didn't know depression had a look"
"Trust me it's JUST all in your head, you HAVE no reason to be depressed"
"why thank you, it is all in my head, most depression is caused by a chemical imbalance, so no I don't have a reason to be depressed my chemical factory just up and quit."
"I read somewhere about some herbal juice that will cure you"
"To bad they don't make stupid juice for people like you."

As much as I wish my response to this commentary could be what I wrote above, the best strategy is to say thanks, smile and walk away. There are just people in this world who aren't going to get it. Seriously just walk away. They are the people who are going to make you want to scream and vent. I'm seriously STILL not immune to it. I'm never going to be immune to those people. And that makes part of me inside feel sadder then it should be.

I don't expect everyone to get me, to get what I go through, and for them to understand and believe what they can't see. But I guess I was raised in a bubble. Again that isn't true. My mom has taken the brunt of peoples stupidity for me, because she knew that I'd be facing a lifetime of it without her and she wanted to give me a chance to try and just be a kid, despite all the things going on inside me. and thing is about these people who need to remember is they mean well, honestly they do. And I know that doesn't change how much those comments are going to effect you and it doesn't justify it.

So the good news is, that despite all the stupid people they're going to be people who blow your mind away with unbelievable kindness, empathy and understanding, waste your time on those people, not on the ones that aren't ever going to get it.
-J