"What finally set me free was getting up close and personal with the concept that other's people's issues? Belonged to them. And I had no control over them, and attempting to gain control? Icky. Manipulative. Pretty damn sucky, if you look at it. And none of them were things I was comfortable doing. It's not that I had lost anything by coming to this place - it was liberating, because this was something I'd never had the power to influence. And that was the truth - it really can set you free."

Yup. This is why I get so tired of people freaking out on me when I express my disappointment. I am allowed to be disappointed that something did not or will not happen the way I wanted it to, even if it does have something to do with them. It is my being honest about my feelings, not me trying to be manipulative. I am sorry you are used to people using it to be manipulative, but sometimes it is just me being disappointed, which is a healthy emotion to express in most situations. And when they "do something wrong" and I bring it up to them, beating themselves up about it does me no good so why would I want that? I point it out as a way to let them know so they have the opportunity to learn about what my needs are. Standing up for my needs is something I can do, making them other people's priority is up to them.