Next Water Source

I recently discovered that I was recently given the label of a "professional victim."

I'd never heard that term and wondered, "What is a professional victim?"

I thought maybe it was a term the person who labeled me such had made up. But alas, the term is in the urban dictionary which states:

Someone who (usually falsely) claims victimization any time things don't go their way. Everywhere this person goes, they believe someone is taking advantages of them. This person has many many stories of The Man keeping them down, numerous abuse incidents throughout their childhood and adolescence and adulthood. This person will regale you with stories of their failures as a result of someone other than themselves. It's never their fault, in whole or in part. Life just isn't fair for these people.

The professional victim cannot take responsibility for his or her own shortcomings and life failures, so they claim to be a victim of circumstance and/or other people.

Well, I guess if that is someone's opinion of me, that is their opinion of me.

But I'm not quite sure how they came to that conclusion.

Maybe what I write comes across that way?

Maybe I have regaled with stories of my failures as a result of someone other than myself. Must be why I'm complaining all the time and continually blaming "The Man" and never myself, seeing as how I don't take responsibility for my failures. Ha.

Or maybe the person who gave me that label is projecting.

I think most (all?) of us project to a point.

I sure am glad for the good folks in life, "the givers" as my hubby calls them. The other day he was talking about how some folks are givers in this life, and some folks are takers. Hubby is a giver. He says I'm a giver. Our children are givers.

The folks I meet on the backpacking trail are givers. And respecters, in a good sense. A certain mutual respect is given to one another as we meet and talk. Not to mention the respect for the wilderness that can be unforgiving if one isn't prepared.

On the trail, only oneself can get oneself to the next water source. "The Man" ain't there to blame.