Neglected

I think neglect is worse than abandonment.

When someone abandons you, the wound is harsh but it can heal as the empty space left behind will often be filled.

When someone neglects you, their presence is still there, never allowing the wound to heal. By still being physically present they render you invisible. It is a constant reminder that you are not valued, that your needs are not appreciated or understood. It's like slicing open a wound just before it heals over and over again.

To neglect someone you love is to not love them.

When you love someone, you value their needs, their dreams, their preferences. Their priorities at some level have to align with your priorities.

If not the result is devastating: the loss of a relationship, the hardening of the heart of the one who is neglected. The endless questioning of "what if" by the neglector…

It may sound trite but maybe that is because it is true… we need to treat each other as if this is the last moment we will see each other. Use your words. Use your actions. Show those you love that they are important to you and never render them invisible.