Quote Originally Posted by Aylen View Post
When I was 12 I was held against my will, on two separate occasions, by two different people in the same family. It was a bit terrifying but I was able to talk my way out of it both times... more like trick one of them into letting me go. One felt like a life or death struggle but the other situation just felt like a stalemate until they got tired. I should have learned my lesson after the first time but I went back for more.
I also, unwittingly, made myself a martyr by sinking into the depths of victimhood, even if I did not perceive myself as a victim. I was more of an observer, allowing it, so others wouldn't have to. It all seems rather ridiculous now since I doubt it saved anyone from their own particular brand of suffering. In a weird way I saved myself by refusing to be labeled a victim. I see it all so clearly, in hindsight. I learned a lot about myself and what I am capable of handling without breaking. I have explored these themes, in cycles. They have lead me to where I am today.

“We are the sum total of our experiences. Those experiences – be they positive or negative – make us the person we are, at any given point in our lives. And, like a flowing river, those same experiences, and those yet to come, continue to influence and reshape the person we are, and the person we become. None of us are the same as we were yesterday, nor will be tomorrow.”
― B.J. Neblett
I don't consider myself just the sum of my experiences but I agree with his general sentiments.