Damn

Why is it that when someone else is rude or mean to us (read: women generally), we internalize it and feel bad about ourselves? Why are we hurt, instead of angry that someone would behave so poorly, has such bad manners, is so narrow-visioned that they are not willing to look at us with an open mind, etc.??? Why do we allow ourselves to be injured by strangers in this way? Why do we do this to ourselves instead of recognizing that the other person is the one with the problem, not us?

I know it's because such behavior touches a place of deep insecurity for us, that we are willing to go to that place and believe that we are somehow deserving of that treatment. Our brains tell us that it's their problem, but our hearts scream out that they may be right. We know they aren't, but we also question that as well.

Damn.