Putting blame where blame is due...

... or is it really a matter of responsibility? Blame sounds so harsh, taking personal responsibility is more like it.

Why do I seem to attract those who need to shift their helplessness onto me and project it to the point where it seems to be MY problem? My fault? Why am I a punching bag for the insecure? And why does it hurt me so bad? Maybe because I've lost a lot in my life due to that kind of faulty thinking. I've lost time, energy, self esteem, relationships... I've suffered abuse, broken hearts, and a lot of crap that's taken a lot of energy and good health from me. Or maybe my recent string of bad luck is just too tempting a target....

Why can't people take responsibility for themselves and stop hurting others? How can people not feel bad about putting others down in order to make them feel better about themselves? Why is this a theme I see over and over - in love, work, life...

Why are healthy boundaries so hard to draw for so many people? Why do people struggle with responsibility/over-responsibility/under-responsibility? Is our society so screwed up that we can't define these places very well?

And how do I get myself back on track after this most recent heart-splitting attack?