WHAT TO DO?

There are people in this world who, when they hurt you and you somehow find the courage to say "That hurt me," their response - "You're too sensitive," "You need to toughen up," "It was just a joke" - their response makes you feel guilty for being hurt, and although they were the one who threw the side punch or made the unkind comment, you end up believing you're the one who needs to apologize, for having been hurt at all.

And yet...

These same people, when you do resolve to not be so sensitive and you do "toughen up," they accuse you of being emotionally distant, so that, whether you express your emotions or you do not express your emotions, you are wrong.

Always wrong.

I understand that now...that there are such people in the world.

I understand now, but, as hard as I try, I cannot figure out what to do with that.