It really is childish... all that hatred. And I see the control, too.
That's what was practiced on me via religion, all the while growing up... but I always felt it was nothing but hate.
Still for me now, it's hard to overcome the fear when I feel such hate directed at me.
I feel it here on this board at times, from people who don't even know me or want to know me... they've already put me into a box.
Nowadays, I'm usually able to say, "whatever" about that.
As far as dealing with the expert hate-mongers...I used to equate avoidance with fear... and often those two were tied together for me, in the past... or maybe that was more like evade-ance... hmm.
Anyhow, now I see that it's possible to avoid the rubbish for all the right reasons and just clean stay out of it, by refusing to let the hatred rub off. That's progress.
I think you're doing so well, Beth and Kelly... both of your comments that I've been reading here make so much sense to me... I'm thankful that both of you ladies are among us.
Love,
Carolyn
P.S. anyone taking initiative in our home growing up was punished, as well. Helps to understand how it happened that I got taught not to try, not to experiment, not to dare changing up the pattern.