The thing is, memories are more like scars than anything else. Even after the blood has stopped flowing and the flesh has knitted together, there's still going to be a telltale reminder there. Occasionally, if it's a particularly deep wound, it might ache a bit on cold days when the wind blows a certain way. Mental wounds are much the same.

From what I recall from your posts back then, Moonie, you did have a pretty s*** time of things and I wouldn't be surprised if you still needed a little more time. But what you'll find is that these unexpected recollections will occur less and less though. It's one of the few perks about being old like me - memories get harder to recall. You won't ever forget them and memories like that shape who you are to quite a surprising extent. It's when you start to do things and behave in certain ways that are contrary to those memories that the fightback begins.

An example for me - in high school I was unbelievably shy around girls, positively terrified of them. I was constantly afraid that I'd say something stupid and they'd laugh at me, leaving me humiliated. And on more than one occasion, that's exactly what happened and 15 years later, I can still recall those memories. Things began to change when I started hanging out on here, oddly enough. I discovered a flirty side to myself that could use my skill with wordplay to flattering or charming effect and I began to enjoy it. From time to time, it even carries over into real life, especially if I've had a little to drink and my mental barriers are more open to interaction.

So here's a question for you, m'dear - how do you think those crap days at your previous school have shaped you and what could you do to counter that shaping effect?