You Matter

Emily sat quietly, with Mabel’s paw resting in her small hand. After a few minutes, the young girl leaned in and gave Mabel a big hug, wrapping her arms around my dog’s neck. Other students were passing by, but this girl needed some extra time with Mabel. Dogs can often sense when people are in crisis and that was Emily. That day, she needed a patient soul to listen.

“Hi Mabel, I’m Emily,” she said. “Thanks for giving me a hug today and not thinking that I’m invisible.” She continued talking to Mabel as if no one else was in the room. “I wish I could be like you. People love you. They see you and they want to be with you. I’m the one nobody wants to be around. Do you ever feel that way, Mabel?”

I held back tears as Emily continued to pour her heart and hurt out to Mabel. I had never seen Mabel so attentive. Suddenly, Emily looked at me. “Do you ever feel like you’re invisible?”
I remember when I was her age and asking that same question to my parents. Even adults can feel invisible, especially in this world of social media, where everyone is talking about their latest amazing moment or sharing an impossibly perfect photo. We can feel lost. Unworthy. Like we can’t measure up. Or keep up.

Emily didn’t feel like she fit in anywhere. She wasn’t the fastest or the loudest or the funniest. She was just… Emily. And she felt like no one saw her. My heart sank. I wanted to tell her she was amazing, and then run to the rooftop and scream, “Emily is important! She matters!” But in Emily’s eyes, she was invisible.

Instead of running to the rooftop, I sat with Emily, and we talked. And then I got quiet and listened while she talked. I wanted her to know she was seen and heard, not invisible. We became good friends that day, and when I handed her a stuffed Mabel pup, her eyes were wide. “I feel better now,” she announced, snuggling her stuffed pup as she walked away, but not before giving Mabel one last hug.

I’m still thinking about my conversation with Emily and others I’ve talked with recently who feel the same way: overwhelmed, lost, and kind of invisible. People walking through loss, illness, or trials ache for someone to hold their hand, look in their eyes, and cheer them on. They want to be seen, if only for a moment. Those who silently serve and are struggling to keep the faith through heavy days need to know they aren’t invisible. The Savior sees your every moment, and each moment matters to Him. YOU matter. Psalm 33:18 says: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love.”

On my worst days, Mom always reminded me that His steadfast love is the one we hope in, not in the people around us. People will fail us, or may not notice us, but we don’t live for their approval and applause. We live for the One who gave His life for us. Her words help me wake up every day believing, pouring out my heart and energy one more time, praying and walking by faith. He is the One I live for, and He will always be worthy.

If you are feeling invisible today, know that Jesus cares, sees, and notices. You are not invisible. You are worthy and what you are doing matters deeply.

1 Peter 2:9