I'm independent. I'm strong-willed. And I'm a good girl.
Generally speaking the decisions I make are not bad ones. Yeah, I make the human mistakes and make bad decisions about little things but do you see me off rationalizing doing some pot?
Rhetorical question. Of course not, being the answer.

What I'm trying to explain is that I just want support from those around me.

I remember as a teenager my mom would have to calm me down when Julie would go back and forth on things and I'd want to explode. I just wanted to scream at Julie, "NO, DON'T DATE HIM, HE'S A JERK" or, "I ALREADY TOLD YOU HE WAS AN A-HOLE, STOP LIKING HIM!!!" It was so hard. But mom said something that I remember to this day. Something along the lines of, "it is your job as a friend to support her. You can give advice if she asks for it. But it should be tactful and supportive. Girlfriends need to be supportive."
That's basically how I've taken to conducting my affairs with my friends and loved ones. Now, unless they're considering stabbing someone or committing a salvation-threatening sin, I generally just support. Even if I disagree. I might politely voice that opinion. I may express the reasons why they ought to do something differently. But that's not my place. We're all capable adults with our own agency. Sometimes we need to make mistakes in order to learn. Sometimes we have to get hurt so we can be stronger. No, I don't really want to see the people I love get hurt, but it's not my place to yell at them, ignore them, overbearingly express my disdain, or otherwise push them away with my disapproval of their decision. All of which have happened to me by people who don't approve of my actions.

People just need to be loved, dang it. Why do we all try to fix and control people, when it's not our place? Who gave you the right to judge their decision and determine the consequences of them not heeding your advice?

Love and support them.


Love and support me. Please. That's all I want and need.