This is for the men. Please repost if it resonates with you.
My husband’s best friend is the youngest of three and is single handily caring for his deteriorating parents by himself. It’s been very hard and no one seems to see or appreciate him.
When we went to visit my husband spent time with him and said: “You’re doing the right thing. You’re doing a good job.”
He was moved, and it clearly meant a lot to hear.
Men. Tell your friends you see them. It doesn’t need a big conversation or a deep heart to heart. But it matters. It matters SO MUCH.
One of the most brutal realities of the male experience that nobody talks about is the absolute "affection desert" they live in. A woman can get a hug, a genuine compliment, and deep emotional support from her platonic friends on a random Tuesday. A man can go an entire calendar year without another human being touching his arm, asking if he's okay, or giving him a sincere compliment. We’ve built a society where a man only gets to experience basic human warmth if he is actively providing for a partner. Outside of that, he is completely invisible.