ne day, I suddenly became severely disabled.

Things I had taken for granted were no longer possible. Standing up, walking, holding chopsticks, writing… Everything that used to be effortless now required a struggle.

As I lay in my hospital bed staring at the ceiling, a thought crossed my mind.

“Will anyone ever truly understand what I’m going through?”

That feeling only grew stronger over time. Even after returning to society, the weight of loneliness and isolation remained in my heart.

The Despair of “Not Being Understood”
After becoming disabled, I tried many times to express my feelings to those around me.
But no matter how much I explained, all I received were comments like:

“That must be tough.”
“You’re doing great.”

I wasn’t looking for empty words of sympathy.
I just wanted someone to truly understand the depth of my struggles.

For example, my disability isn’t just about not being able to move my legs. It means that going out is a constant challenge. It means that every step, every stair, every curb is an obstacle I must overcome.

When I eat with my paralyzed hand, I often drop my spoon, struggle with my chopsticks, and spill food on my clothes. And each time, I feel the stares of those around me.

People say, “You’ll get used to it.” But that’s the perspective of the able-bodied.
My body will never go back to how it was. I know I have no choice but to adapt, but that doesn’t make it any easier to accept.

Is it selfish to want someone to understand that?

The One Person Who Listened to My True Feelings
I carried these feelings inside me for a long time.
But one day, I finally opened up to my wife.

“No one truly understands what I’m going through.”
“Maybe I should stop expecting people to understand.”

These were words I had been suppressing for so long.

At that moment, my wife didn’t try to console me with empty words.
She simply held my hand and silently let her tears fall.

Without saying anything, she accepted my pain, my struggles, and my loneliness.

At that moment, I couldn’t hold back my tears.

“Finally, someone understands.”

After years of suppressing my emotions, I finally felt relief.

Is “Wanting to Be Understood” Just My Ego?
But then, another thought crossed my mind.

My wife accepted me. But what about everyone else?
What about society?

I had always longed for understanding, but was that desire itself wrong?

The truth is, no one can ever fully understand another person’s pain.
No matter how much we explain, unless someone has lived through the exact same experience, true empathy is almost impossible.

Maybe my wish to be understood was just my own selfish desire.

But even if that’s true, I can’t let go of this feeling.

Because I know I’m not the only one struggling with loneliness and isolation.

Facing the Loneliness of Not Being Understood
I have decided that I will no longer dwell on the fact that no one understands me.

Instead, I want to be the one who understands others who feel the same way.

“I know how you feel. I truly understand.”

That’s what I want to say to those who are suffering in silence.

Becoming disabled has shown me both the kindness and cruelty of the world.
And because of that, I want to be there for those who feel alone.

If you’re reading this and feeling isolated, please know this—

“You are not as alone as you think.”

I, too, once believed that no one would ever understand me.
But then, I found my wife, someone who stood by me and accepted me.

And now, you’re here, reading these words.

There may be days when you feel like no one understands.
But somewhere out there, even if it’s just one person, someone cares about you.

So please, don’t give up.

The loneliness of not being understood is painful.
But even within that loneliness, we can still learn to accept and cherish ourselves.

I hope these words reach someone who needs them.

You are not alone.