Ever feel like you're invisible?

...I began to believe that I was a ghost no one could see. (from Isaac Bashevis Singer's The Certificate)

     

     I've felt invisible in my life. I mean just about literally invisible, not just ignored or overlooked. And I have a theory about it (that sort of invisibility). I don't think it's a bad thing at all. In fact, I think it's a good thing. I think that sort of invisibility is an indication that a person is very spiritual. In the literal sense: you're more spirit than body.
     It's happened to me over and over. People just don't know I'm there. At work I always used to come around the corner on my way to the rest room and there was a woman who sat at a desk at that corner. Well, she had plenty of time to see me, and yet, time after time, she would be startled by me. (And I would apologize—time after time.) It happened so regularly she ended up giving me these little jingle bells and jokingly (I think!) asked me to wear them!

     Not long ago I was walking down the block, just getting some exercise. This guy was raking leaves in his front yard. I would've sworn he looked directly at me several times, and yet when I got near him he was so surprised I was there he put his hand to his chest, panted and said: "Oh God! You startled me!" (Again I apologized.)

     Or (and this is true—not embellished in the least) there was the time I was at a movie theater. I'd gone by myself and gotten there rather early. Not wanting to deal with the people endlessly sidling down the row to get to open seats, I sat right up against the wall in the very last seat.
     So, the theater was filling up. It was pretty clear that just about all the seats were going to be taken. As show time approached a couple came down the row and settled in the two available seats next to mine, the man in the seat right next to mine. Well, the house lights went down and the movie previews began. And early on, I sensed something wasn't quite right (The movie was a quiet one.) because I could overhear this guy talking to his girlfriend as if I wasn't there and couldn't hear him. (He was pretty boring as I remember.) So not wanting to make a stink I endured his endless commenting.
     So, the movie is over and I always watch all the closing credits. And as the very last credits are rolling (and the great majority of people in the theater have already left) the couple stand, and the guy next to me flares open his raincoat to throw over his shoulders—and in the process drapes the raincoat right over me!
     I was like, "Excuse me!"
     The guy pulls the raincoat off me, looks at me (absolutely totally startled) and says: "I didn't even know you were there!"
     What do you say to something like that? "Well, yeah, I'm here." I mean, I sat there elbow to elbow with this guy for two hours and he had no inkling I was there!
     But here's the deal. All those people didn't notice me because I'm more spirit than body. And I think that's very cool. And I know there's not a few of you out there with similar experiences.
     And it's not like I can pass through walls or anything. lol But these experiences of invisibility have pointed out clearly that the essence of who we are as human beings is spirit and not body. (And they point me in the direction to live my life accordingly. Because when the body ends, the spirit goes on.)
     So the next time you feel like you're invisible to somebody don't get upset. The person is just manifesting the fact that you're a very spiritual person.