I was reminded recently, rather painfully I might add, why I dislike the idea of joining up with a large group of others to infiltrate the lair of some beast of mythical proportion, an ancient wurm perhaps, or some legendary foe that dwells in a well guarded dungeon.

Raiders of the lost tomb, as it were.

The painful reminder came in the form of a rather blatant ignoring of my repeated requests to join such a force, a force which I might add; I had been involved with completely on just the previous day with no issues.

It seems, however, that on this particular day my services would no longer be required. Not only would they not be required, but I would not even rate sufficient respect to be told that I would not be needed, but merely ignored and left to wonder what I had done to deserve such treatment.

The entire experience left a rather bitter taste in my mouth, and while I successfully fought back the urge to stick one of my daggers, rather forcefully, into the eye and through the skull of the person who was leading the expedition, and remove what precious little brains he had left in his head. I also came to the conclusion, much, much later in the day, that it wasn’t entirely his fault.

You see, I had given him the power to do that to me. For some reason, unknown to me, I had allowed him to make that kind of decision. To decide my worth without even knowing me beforehand, to make a judgment of me based on nothing more than my class.

I understand that there are reasons for it, I understand that to accomplish a specific goal certain skills and abilities are needed, and I understand that someone, somewhere, has to decide who has those skills, and make the cuts needed. What I don’t understand, what I will never understand, is the way it’s handled? Not with a respectful comment, or explanation, but more often than not, a putdown of some kind, a slanderous remark followed by a thoughtless laugh.

No one likes to be chosen last.

No one likes to be told that they are useless and cannot contribute effectively.

Regardless of your own self confidence and vision of self worth, it is very painful and it hurts deeply.

I must always remember that, and remember the same pain that I felt on that day, so that I will never cause that kind of pain to anyone else.