Giving a dog a bad name and hanging it

The thing about love is that when you hand over your heart, you give the person you love great power over who you are, or who you will be. I didn't realize that until recently.

You saw me in the worst possible light and told me so. You had me believe that I had no social skills, that I didn't know how to talk to people, that I had no tact or subtlety, that I had minimal control of my temper, that I had limited capacity to be nice. Because I trusted you, because I loved you, I believed you, and it became a self-fulfilling prophecy. I didn’t talk to people freely. I was awkward and forgot how to relax. I acted in the way you expected me to act, not realizing that that was what I was doing.

But I am not that person.

LabradorBoy, the guy who didn’t last beyond 3 dates, Miss J, and even Captain Starlight (who's back temporarily, hooray!) have said things that have jolted me, surprised me into a reevaluation of who I am.

You're a very happy girl.
Me? I may have made an unladylike snort.
Yes, you. he told me, stroking my hair.

I’ve been told I’m funny, sweet (sweet, my god), calm, good with people, friendly, and yes, happy.

When all you saw was the worst in me, and never gave me a chance to be anything other than what your inviolable, unarguable opinion decreed I was.

I am not, and will never be, that person again.