I've gotten the first one from my mom. That one does hurt. I never know how to reply to it, either. Because like I said, I know she is. But hearing that one can feel like they don't realize /you/ are, too. Or, like you said, that they think it's a competition.

I admit that I feel like I'm slightly guilty of the second one with this post. I'm sorry to anyone if it does seem that way.

I just mean to say that I know this person is suffering, too. And I would never say that I want to be them because I know it would make them not only wonder why, but feel as though I were belittling their own suffering. Which is exactly how I felt.