I need to read this series asap. This post was a powerful read. Otherwise in my life are many, many memoirs, especially pieces of those written by my students. One student wrote a letter to other family members that had me in tears and prompted a podcast (Why I Am Crying). It was moving and tender, and I was honored to be trusted to receive it.

You said

I wrote down the above quote because I thought it was such a simple, perfect reminder that there is only pain and suffering in concentrating on what I did wrong or hating myself for the terrible crime of being human.

YES. I had very hard teenage years, was abused by a friend. My husband and I met and survived that time together. For many years we carried shame that we were part of something so dark, even though it wasn't our fault and even though we broke the pattern. We need to love ourselves, as you are saying, because we all are wonderful.