Only in the past year have I begun to look at the shame I've been carrying around from this person and realized their cruel comment says nothing about me and everything about them. They were projecting their own #shame into me, and it's not mine to carry. Why am I judging myself by the drunken words of a 21-year-old I never talk to or interact with except to see their #Facebook photos?! It's ridiculous!
#ToxicFriend #College #SticksAndStones #WordsHurt

One friendship in particular stands out to me. This was someone I met in college who I was instantly drawn to—this person was cool and I wanted to be just like them! They were smart and hilarious and charismatic. They could also be bitingly cruel. And I was a little scared of them. And once, when they were drunk, they said something about me that I instantly internalized and that I have judged myself by to this day
#ToxicFriend #Friendship #PersonalGrowth