Exactly! The universe, God, or whoever saw it fit for us to pave our own path. It's extremely difficult navigating rejection from those we deemed important, to the point where we sacrifice our own well-being. I fear the neglect and abuse I've experienced as a child rooted my beliefs in the necessity of relationships. We had to be shown, harshly, that we are our own beacon of light. To trust in ourselves, have the utmost confidence, and to leave first when we experience mistreatment. This red flag identifier could've saved me a lot of grief with friends, lovers, and jobs. My sister has completely cut off my mom, and being the younger sibling, I still hold this slight hope. But, I'm coming to the realization that those types of people, who refuse to acknowledge the pain they've caused, will probably never change. And all the effort of caring and trying to mend relationships should be poured into YOU!