I hate being misunderstood. I live most of my life with the best of intentions, with openness in helping myself and those I care about, with kindness and consideration. And I certainly do all of this with a healthy helping of naivity and innocence, sometimes believing that others will see what's true to my personality and understand where I am coming from. I have few long-lived ill wills against others. And in that way, I have been misunderstood; that saddens me, because it feels like I've failed in being true to myself and others. Or have I?

Knowledge is power. Selective knowledge leads to an imbalanced power (not imbalance OF power), and leads to abuse of strength (or abuse of other things in trying to find strength). I cannot control how others handle theirs; I only maintain that mine is protected as needed.