How did we all get here?

No, not in the biblical sense, but how did so many of us women get to where we put the walls up and put up our arms to protect ourselves? Have we all been hurt in such ways (many of them different)that our first reaction is to be defensive? The possibility of this makes me extremely sad. How many other women out there are going through the motions, just trying to get through another day with taking the kids to school, making dinner, going to work, etc, where they are almost on autopilot? I believe that we all have "stuff" - different kind of stuff and somedays the "stuff" is worse than other days. But here is where we are all the same - we all have hearts and feel and give our hugs and smiles so freely to one another that it can make even the worst day so much better. I spent a few minutes visiting with a co-worker yesterday about what was going on with me last week and she just listened. She was trying to get me to see what I needed to change in my perspective of things as well as what I wanted from this point. Even though I do not know her very well (yet!), she came by my office to see how I REALLY was - and not the fake, "I'm good!" that most people give to you. I believe she really wanted to know. I want her to know that I appreciate her caring - she will know because she tells me she reads this a couple of times a week. We need to find a way to stop putting up the walls and let things happen and surrender to life - it will bring many blessings. Even baby steps move us forward. Make your life what you want it to be, not what it has given you. You can change it.