So When Did I Become Invisible?

There was an incident in a sports shop a few days ago, when a sales assistant ignored me as I patiently waited to try shoes on. I ranted at him in the end and stormed out of the shop, huffing and complaining to as many members of staff as I could pass on my exit route. I returned to the store briefly, long enough for me to approach the counter and ask if he was inadequate in all aspects of his life, then strop out again.

I put it down as a "one off."

But thinking about it, I seem to have become insignificant of late.

My children ignore me and this I have come to accept. Any instructions I give them, seem never to be heard. My feelings are never thought of in the slightest, which I deem part of the whole "being a parent" package.


My husband can have moments of acting as if I don't exist, particularly if he is in a concentrating zone about something technical. I can stand sometimes in front of him, seemingly making eye contact, yet it doesn't register with him that a) I am talking to him or b) I am flesh and blood and standing in his presence.

For some reason, I tolerate it from them, just quietly accepting it. But I have noticed that it's happening all the time, from different sources.

So last night, I was ignored, twice, in the same pub and that was by different staff! I felt enraged and upset, less important than the other people that got served before me, despite being behind in the queue.

It's happened a few times in various shops and customer service based situations but also with my boss.   She refuses to return any of my texts or calls but I have my suspicions of why she is ignoring me. Sheer jealousy. We started seeing our boys at the same time. I got pregnant and got married, she is blackmailing her's to propose to her. I don't think she can handle speaking to me since having the baby. I can handle being invisible to some people if there is a reason.

Collectively though, all these examples are making me feel small, unimportant and fairly upset. My initial reaction was a confidence knock and thinking how I must be way down on people's list of priorities or too boring to be listened to.

But I refuse to feel low...I'm just going to shout a bit louder and wave my hands in the air as I talk.