I regularly do not answer my phone. If it rings, I may check it if the baby is at day care (can't help it, I worry) -- but the whole point of caller ID is that you don't have to answer the phone to find out who is calling! At home it's often in my purse or the other room and I just don't hear it. I may be too lazy to check messages for a few days. I don't believe in being a slave to the phone -- and definitely no phone at meals, when with friends (unless the friend ran to the bathroom) or during family time.

And I think that's a good thing.

So you say "friend" and it means something to you, but it means something else to someone else. This isn't so bad when you say "cup" and I'm thinking of a coffee mug while you're thinking of a small glass. We can generalize and figure each other out. But when you say "friend" and we don't mean the same thing, it's deeper than that. You are using the word to describe an emotional relationship.

Like any word describing an internal state ("love," "sadness," "content"), words just aren't enough.

I think being midwestern also has something to do with it.

Also- you are my friend and I am yours. I'm just re-iterating the OBVIOUS.

xx

So, I think you feel invisible and not heard because especially after hatching, and medical issues, you were likely pushed aside. But, even after that sorat stabilized, we were still largely on our own, no?