“What You Don’t See” – A Parent Who Carries More Than You Know 

Content Note: Ableism 

You see a parent 
Who fills out forms late 
Who forgets the water bottle 
Or doesn’t respond to your emails until Thursday. 

What you don’t see: 
That I’m holding a whole history in my hands— 
Of systems that ignored me and let me fall. 

You don’t see the time I was 10 
And sat alone at recess 
Because no one explained to the other kids 
Why I acted different, played different. 

You don’t see the high school teacher 
Who said, “In the real world, you don’t get to work alone,” 
When I asked for a quiet place to write exams. 

You don’t see the boss 
Who told me I didn’t “dress like a lesbian.” 

You don’t see the ways I started to believe that I was 
Annoying. 
Not right. 
Not enough. 

And now, 
I have a child 
Who moves through the world 
Like I once did. 

And I am doing everything in my power 
To keep them from absorbing that same story. 

So when I ask for a lot of information, 
Or send too many emails, 
Or seem nervous at drop-off— 

Please know 
I’m not trying to be difficult. 
I’m trying to rewire history. 
I’m trying to shield my child 
From the slow, quiet erosion 
Of self-worth 
That comes from being constantly misunderstood.