M58
Let me NOT bury the lede. I have a pretty good life. I have not been immune to life struggles and am by NO means some pinnacle of humanity, but I have been fortunate. I have my health, a good wife and family, a career I dreamed of (not without LOTS of ups and downs), friends I see often. Could have done some things better of course, and I have my share of wistful regrets but wouldn't trade lives with anyone.
That said.
A handful of people (combination of semi-distant family and not-too-close friends and acquaintances) have made comments to me or about me (said to my wife) along the lines of "are you ok?" in the context of being alone or inactive or 'flat.'
Here's the thing...I am none of those. I am also not one to blow my own horn IRL or on social media about all the wonderful things I do bla bla bla. I'm not secretive, but I am more private than most. So the comments are not just off-base, but slightly hurtful. Obviously I know these commenters are coming from their own view of the world and how people should look and act.
These commenters don't see that I'm at the gym 4 or 5 times a week (because I go before 6am). Or that I have a great group of friends I see once a week for 3-4 hours. Or the other friends I see 1 or 2 times a week. Or the great satisfaction I get on certain work projects with a group of other creatives. Or the 20 mile bike rides my wife and I take a couple times a month. When I'm relaxing, I REALLY relax and moss out and maybe they ONLY see that and not everything else. One time one of these people saw me napping on a Saturday afternoon in my outdoor space and he made a comment and I rather curtly replied back, "yeah I just came off of three 12-hr days and I was at the gym at 6:15 this morning so is that not enough?"
So maybe I just don't fit their idea of what a M58 should look like. But ffs, grow up and understand there are all kinds of men on this planet.
Any similar experiences or stories out these of the quiet but perfectly healthy man being mis-judged?