Misunderstood

 

I think we're well used to being misunderstood as a teenage concept. The way that when you're at a certain age the world just doesn't get you, you don't fit in, you don't have a place. Every grievance feels huge, every slight disagreement earth-shattering and heavy. When you're trying to figure out who you are, governed by chemicals and changes you've never had a concept of before of course you feel like no one gets it. Like no one has ever been there before.

And then you grow older but maybe you still feel misunderstood. Maybe this time you misunderstand your purpose and your journey and what it is you're 'supposed' to be doing. You might make choices different from those around you - uni? Job? Both? Neither? You might feel like whatever you do choose, you're missing out on something else.

Then whilst everyone lives their best life on social media, posting highlights and perfectly curated images you might feel you've misunderstood your youth. Like you're doing it wrong because you're not that happy, that popular, that adventurous.

As the world turns and rocks the bigger bite of being misunderstood may come back. Those around you might not see things like you do and the teenage white-hot indignation burns again. How could they think like that? You seethe, only this time about war, religion, abortion, race or someone's sexual rights. So you try and you try to explain and to educate and advocate but still the fog grows stronger - how could THIS be misunderstood.

Later, maybe it's children or not having children or how you choose to raise them. Maybe it's your career path or maybe it's just as simple as...

That feeling when you've tried to explain how you feel but it's gone wrong. When you want to share the emotions in you but they become mixed up or lost in translation. When you're on the edge of a group or a project or a gathering because everyone else just fits together better. Or simply, when you just don't even know what you want or you need or you feel...

It's common. Is what I'm saying. A feeling no less frustrating than when it very first arises. One we can all understand.