"I'm rarely alone. 100% of the time someone has driven me. 98% of the time someone is with me. It's the other 2% of the time that this happens."

Hello Living Dazed:

I was just wondering that if the only time you are recognizing the cruelness of others is when you're alone with them is because you feel anxious and awkward ( I do) having to answer for yourself when your speech is halting or when nothing comes out.
I know that there are people who are inappropriate ( whether intentionally or unintentionally) and try to make you feel bad.

I think maybe you could ask yourself this: "Is this person's opinion of me really that important right now?" When we have people who are close to us, and care about us, they tend to be more understanding. Maybe the one's who make you feel bad are just not really concerned about your well-being, and you don't need their opinions to define you.

I still believe in goodness in people, and have come to learn it firsthand in some people I didn't know well before this injury, and seen less compassion from those I did know well and thought would be more concerned. Go figure. I guess I would say to take the good from the people who are genuine, and disregard those who would make you feel bad with a grain of salt.

And by the way, you are smart and you are important, too. Take care, music-in-me