The words can't protect you. If I judge you, I can go either way and/or mean to go either way but how you perceive is what's gonna happen. If I say how thoughtful and intelligent I think you are, I can see your skepticism through the screen! You ain't falling for it, doesn't matter what I say, how I say it, what words I use, etc.

I left home because my stepmother called me "Stupid" one time too many. I knew I wasn't stupid but I had made a mistake (mixed the Good Seasons salad dressing contents in the wrong order, for shame! LOL http://brands.kraftfoods.com/goodseasons/) but I couldn't laugh yet then so my feelings were hurt. Were it to happen the same way now, I'd laugh and be extremely surprised at being called "Stupid" by anyone. The entire incident could only happen at that time, in that fashion, between my stepmother and myself. Now that I have stepped out of that period of time, have interacted therapeutically with others and looked around me at where I am now, it all surprises instead of hurts. Yes I wish my stepmother and I could have understood one another better, could have given and gotten what we needed from one another or understood why that wasn't possible or necessarily a good idea, etc. but I can talk to others now and give and receive. . .