A demand that invisible work—thought, emotional processing, survival itself—be recognized as legitimate labor worthy of dignity and respect, not merely visible productivity.
Sor Juana's intellectual work was often invisible to those who saw only a nun in a convent, not the scholar writing theology and poetry at night. Chronic illness creates a parallel invisibility: the labor of managing pain, researching your condition, attending appointments, emotional regulation, and simply persisting becomes hidden work. Society credits only visible output—employment, social presence, physical accomplishment—and dismisses the rest. This concept of justice demands recognition: your work to survive, to think, to maintain relationships and meaning despite illness is real labor. It has value. It deserves acknowledgment. Justice, in Sor Juana's framework, means seeing what others overlook and naming its worth. For the chronically ill, this reframes suffering not as personal failure but as a condition requiring society's recognition and support. Your internal work counts. Your persistence is achievement.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
Explore related journeys or tell Peri what you're working through.