Over the course of the last few days, I am realizing that who I know myself to be and who others seem to think I am are quite different things. There is not much I can do about it. People are who they are and they believe what they want to believe.

And realistically, I don't have to answer to anyone, (except the guys upstairs) or at least, that's what I thought was supposed to happen once you move out of your parents home and you become an adult. (But trust me, that's not how it works.) But globally, I don't have to answer to anyone.

People can see very narrowly. And they don't see that this path we're all walking on can look a lot different depending on your view of the pathway. From the right, from the left, with older eyes, younger eyes, feet hurt, they don't hurt. A fly is buzzing around you....you know what I'm saying. We're all at slightly different places. So instead of prejudgment, I would appreciate the respect and the just general courtesy of being allowed to mess up, before people assume that I automatically will.

I've been doing things for other people my whole life long. For my siblings, my parents, my friends, my spouse, my in-laws, my children, my employers.....thru all of it, I have always been loyal. I've tried my best to be honest with them and with myself. And when I don't have answers, I try not to make answers up, just for the sake of answering. So ....

I don't know. Maybe I deserve the benefit of the doubt. Maybe, just maybe, a little leeway is in order. A little grey.