Acceptance.

When you're a kid, you do not think that much about things around you. As you grow up, being accepted, or creating a status or a reputation becomes increasingly important. How we are perceived by others is not only a matter of oneself; people will see you not only as you project yourself to be, but as they've learned to perceive people who project that image that you're conveying. The peak on the perception/importance graph probably occurs during our teenage years, and, sometimes, a bit later.

Later in life, you understand that it is impossible to be perceived the same way by everybody. Some people will see you as a great, understanding, kind fellow, while others will perceive you as a false, pretentious bastard. And yet, both groups of people might have seen you doing the exact same things, acting the exact same way.

Social conventions and education can help you appeal to a bigger demographic, but, let's face it, nobody can be liked by everyone. People will dislike you no matter how hard you try, how kind or generous you try to be. I remember accepting this fact when I was 16 years old. Some people don't ever accept it, and others thrive for unacceptance, joining that way a different demographic of acceptance.

I don't struggle to be accepted, because I don't really try. I think I'm not a bad guy, a jerk, or a pathetic piece of scum. I do question those things about myself, since I can, accidentally, act like one, and I don't think that avoiding those thoughts can be healthy, the same way that I think that religion, God, or even Love must be questioned. I don't need to be accepted by everybody. I won't try to be accepted by most, even. There's only a few people who I would fight for in order to be accepted. And those are the people who I like to call friends. I have hurt a few friends in my time, sadly. And I have, always, managed to explain myself well enough so that they can understand. And luckily, they have never disappointed me. I'm proud of those people, really proud.

I will not pretend to be as naïve as to think that we don't need to accept ourselves first, or to think that we need to be accepted by anybody at all to live happily. But sometimes -very rare times in my case-, being accepted by somebody can mean the difference between happiness and "just another day".

Some of you 2 readers might be thinking "does this guy have a point?" My answer: Yes.

Don't judge me, you're the ones who read all through my crap.