Aspinall goes further than belonging by naming the desire to “be seen together,” which implies recognition in community rather than attention in isolation. Being seen is not the same as being watched; it means being understood accurately and received without having to perform. In practice, this might look like a friend group that remembers your context, a workplace where you can speak honestly, or a neighborhood where you are greeted as a person rather than a stranger.
Moreover, the word “together” hints that visibility becomes stabilizing when it is shared. When people witness one another—joy, grief, setbacks, growth—life feels more coherent. The private self no longer has to carry every experience alone, and that shared witnessing can be quietly healing. [...]
