(not) alone.

Some say you only feel loneliness when you are all alone.

This is not entirely true.

Yes, you can feel lonely when you are in a room by yourself, or when you are at a party but don't know anyone there, so you are sitting alone in the corner.

But I feel the most alone when I am in a group of people who I have know my whole life, but they don't really know me.

Or maybe they do, but they don't really see me.

I may be sitting on the same couch with five friends and my family, but I feel completely alone.

Unheard.

Unseen.

Unloved.

Because sure, maybe these people like me, but we all know none of them respect or love me.

And that is the loneliest feeling in the world.

A room of people you've known since birth, but none of them actually want you there.