In reflecting on my childhood, I see how fear affected me and helped form my decisions to be a "good" person, an approval seeker, and to put someone else in charge of my life - someone I saw as stronger than me. At first this was my parent: later it was my mate. Fear caused me to feel helpless, inadequate, and insecure. When I make someone else responsible for me, I have unrealistic expectations of those persons. They cannot possibly live up to them. I constantly set myself up for disappointment and hurt. I blame them when things go wrong. I may retaliate with anger or with emotional withdrawal. How much better for me to accept responsibility for my own happiness and to let go of expecting others to do for me what I need to do for myself.
May I realize that my strength must come from a power greater than myself, not from other human beings.
Faith lets us face our fears.
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