I am no stranger to rejection, having been first rejected by the world at the tender age of two. As a result of my neurodivergence and other differences, I was not only rejected, but mercilessly teased and ridiculed as well. In my early teen years, I realized that I would not be bullied as much if I tried to please others and “mask” the parts of me that were considered “unacceptable.” By the time I was an adult, I was so adept as masking, that, several years ago, it resulted in me being involved in a psychologically and emotionally abusive friendship.
Only very recently (as in the past few days), have I begun to realize that I do not need to mask any part of me to be truly loved and accepted for who I am. I also am beginning to learn that if people do not accept me for who God made me to be, then they can stay very far away from me because I won’t tolerate their disrespect and manipulative tactics to try to recreate me into their image of who they think I should be.
I do not mean that if I am doing something sinful that I will resist being corrected and pointed in the right direction. However, if people try to attack who God created me to be at my core and give unsolicited advice about how I should change just to please them or society, I will not budge. And neither should you.
I have learned that the people who truly love and care for you, accept all of you, even your quirks and flaws. They help you become the best version of yourself. They don’t put you down for who God created you to be, or ridicule you for your quirks or differences.
Do not accept anything less than that in your life. Do not get into relationships where you are not valued for who you are at the core. If someone hangs out or is in a relationship with you only when you do something desirable for them, and not when you need help or fall apart, they are not your friend or confidant. They are users. Get out as soon as possible.
The best relationships and friendships are those where you can be completely yourself without apology and with whom you can be completely honest. Thank you to those friends who have done just that for me.
God's Whisperings 