Melissa’s Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #385
The Pain You Cannot See
When I saw this image, I didn’t see a tattoo.
I saw pain.
I saw one of those days when every nerve, muscle, and joint seems to have decided to remind you that it exists.
Living with autoimmune disease and fibromyalgia means that pain isn’t always something that comes and then politely leaves.
Sometimes it moves in.
And on a flare-up day, it takes over the whole house.
My back hurts.
My neck hurts.
My muscles ache.
Even things that normally don’t bother me suddenly seem to join the rebellion.
The strange thing about chronic illness is that none of this necessarily shows on the outside.
You can look perfectly fine.
You can smile.
You can write a blog post, make coffee, laugh at something silly, talk to your family—and all the while your body is screaming quietly underneath.
That’s what this photograph reminded me of.
If pain were visible, perhaps this is what mine would sometimes look like: a dark line running through my body, touching everything along the way.
I’ve learned over the years that there are days when pushing through is possible.
And there are days when the body simply says:
Enough.
Those are the days when plans have to wait.
When resting isn’t laziness.
When getting through the day is enough of an achievement.
Chronic illness has taught me many things, but perhaps one of the biggest is this:
You never really know what another person is carrying inside their body.
So be gentle.
Be patient.
And if someone tells you they are hurting, believe them.
Not every wound can be seen.
#FFFC
With love, coffee, poetry, and stardust,
— Maggie The Afterlove Voice 💫
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