I really enjoyed this Vanessa (and a bit surprised I wasn't following your work already given our common circle of Medium friends). I think perhaps my favorite line was how we are shaped by our experiences--which makes my little Nietzsche-loving heart rumble in appreciation. And some of the real gold, as often is the case, was in the comments. I often think that if we can see past the top layer of anger, there are stories there, and opportunities for understanding. There's a lot of hurt and distrust and willful misunderstanding out there, isn't there? I look forward to reading more!