Almost: The Pain of Being Left Unheard(Further Expanded Long-Form Blog)24. The Human Need to Be ReceivedBeing heard is not merely about communication.It is about confirmation of existence.From childhood, we learn who we are through response:A parent listens.A teacher responds.A friend stays.When someone does not wait for our words, the nervous system registers
Almost: The Pain of Being Left Unheard (Further Expanded Long-Form Blog) 24. The Human Need to Be Received Being heard is not merely about communication. It is about confirmation of existence. From childhood, we learn who we are through response: A parent listens. A teacher responds. A friend stays. When someone does not wait for our words, the nervous system registers more than disappointment—it registers dismissal. Not intentional dismissal, perhaps. But dismissal nonetheless. To be received is to be allowed to take up space. 25. Why Small Gestures Can Carry Large Weight The poem focuses on things that seem trivial: A little food A small smile A passing glance But human meaning is rarely built from grand gestures. It is constructed from patterns of smallness. A smile that does not stay. A glance that does not linger. A moment that does not pause. These fragments accumulate quietly and form conclusions we never consciously choose: I am interruptible. My words can wait. I a...