No One Can Discredit Them

Written NATANIA NISBET (‘20)

Photography by Lindsay Nelson (‘18) and Jasmine Traidman (‘23)

I told them my pain, my worries, my struggles.
They told me to stop feeling bad; after all, they and other people had it worse than I did.
I shouldn’t feel sad.
They have it worse.
I shouldn’t feel pain.
They have it worse.
I shouldn’t complain.
They have it worse.
They have MORE sadness.
They have MORE pain.
They have MORE to deal with…
They DESERVE more pity.

Why?
Why should my pain and emotions be discredited because someone’s pain was deemed more credited?
Why am I expected to deal with this alone,
just because someone else has more problems in their home?

Why do I not get to feel?
Why am I shut up?
Why am I told not to complain?

Because I am undeserving?
Because I don’t have to deal with that much?
Because my pain is fake?

No.
My pain is my pain.
My struggles are my struggles.
My worries are my worries.
My problems are my problems.

And no one can discredit them.