It's tough to grow up without affirmations...at least enough to counter the disrespect from other children.

The problem, basically, is that not everyone does try to live by the golden rule. It's really a two-way endeavor. When others don't, it doesn't do us any good to give up trying to live by it too...but it doesn't have the effect we may 'need' or 'expect' when it's only one way.

But how are we to know? How can we know that what that child said to us wasn't the best she could do for what she was living under or with? It's quite a dilemma, imo. That takes me back to Dershowitz' book The Abuse Excuse. Just because someone was abused, does that give them an "excuse" to abuse another? How can we judge such a thing? Are they doing the best they can, because that's what they learned?

Expectation of others can get us into trouble, imo. That goes back to my mantra. If I'm not concerned with other people's opinion, but continue to do my best regardless...then my life is in good shape.