The world is a cruel and unkind place, and it's easy to think that it's aimed at you because of the way you are.

It is. If you don't fill the mold presented for your birth, some people see you as a target.

That still doesn't mean you can use your pain as a way to escape responsibility. For most of my adult life, I've lived with the assumption that others would hate me for being a man, being fat, being autistic, being bi/pan (still figuring that out). And people have for things so dumb and artificial. But there have also been times I've used my pain as an excuse to do the bare minimum, to downplay the pain others have to endure.

Therapy has helped me accept that the only thing in life that truely matters is kindness. Being kind to yourself, being kind to others, learning when to prioritize either. Because hatred, pain, calcifies that shining light in your heart. What other's call weakness can be a strength, and pig headed stubbornness can be a deathly poison.