People who met me as an adult may not believe this post, but I used to be a major ass wuss when I was younger. Sure, now I can and will stand up for myself and others without backing down. When did I change from being a person whose opinion would vacillate depending on who I was around? I'd say it was when I became a nurse (My gutter mouth started up then too). Nurses have no time for being a pansy. We have patients to protect. With all that we have to deal with, it gets beaten right out of us, otherwise we end up leaving the profession. When I encounter a shy nursing student I warn him or her that shy nurses don't exist anywhere on this earth so they'd better snap out of it before it gets snapped out of them. (I say it in a nicer manner, though - I hope).
I don't tolerate weakness well because I know what it means to be pushed around by others and never expressing my own thoughts for fear of not being liked. This is why you won't read one of my heroine's as weak, unless she starts that way and gains strength as the book progresses. Hmmm, possible romance novel idea - feel free to add on if you'd like.
Were you ever a softie? When did you change.
