When they miss your usefulness and not you
I once heard someone say that they could be fighting for their life and the only thing people see is that they aren’t showing up for them the same way anymore.
It's obvious a lot of people don’t understand that you are not really obligated to give anyone your time and energy in the midst of your own struggle. People don’t ask why you went quiet, they get offended that your energy isn’t available for them. They ignore the sleepless nights, the emptiness and the burden that simple tasks have become.
This statement I know I will never forget it because you could be barely keeping it all together, waking up with anxiety, fighting against your own mind and instead of a simple, are you okay? All you hear is, you’ve changed, you’re so distant, you don’t reach out like that anymore.
If people don’t care about your wellbeing and only miss your usefulness, it means they aren’t your people. If they only see that you are not being there for them or that they aren’t seeing the same version of you, it means they never saw you. They only saw what you gave.
If you need to take some time for yourself, please do it. The people that really matter won’t mind your absence and infact will be checking up on you when they don't see you for so long. They’ll notice it and come to you with a genuine kindness.