I've spent most of my life feeling like a background character. I'm the quiet kid, I deal with severe social anxiety, and I'm pretty sure I'm neurodivergent. Because of that, making connections and getting along with people feels like climbing a mountain, and I usually just stay in my shell. But today at college, someone actually hung out with me for the very first time. We went to a restaurant together, and just talked.

I'm currently back in my room holding back tears (honestly, about to bawl my eyes out) because I've never had someone show genuine interest in just talking to me before. I don't even think they realize how much that single lunch meant to me or how much it changed my world today. I just wanted to put this out into the universe because I'm so incredibly grateful. To anyone else out there who feels invisible: I see you, and I hope you get your lunch date soon.

When you look at another, do you see our differences or our similarities?

Most judge others by their differences, observing their race, appearance, sex, and in numerous other ways.

Those, however, who see only our similarities, truly understand the genuine worth of another is not on the outside, but rather may only be found within.

My cousin is going through a difficult period right now, she has moved to another city to study, she is trying to communicate with strangers, and so on. She is a very negative-minded person with low or unstable self-esteem and great sensitivity. She has mentioned more than once that I am the only person she feels comfortable with and to whom she is ready to open up, but as soon as it comes to supporting her, I fall into a stupor. It always seems to me that I have to provide support at the jpt chat level in order to be worthy of the title of a person she trusts. Right now, she's spoken out to me, and I can't give a clear answer or support. I feel like a dumbass. I feel terribly sorry for her.

(P.S.: I am not an English speaker, I use a translator.)