Have you ever met anyone who seems to wear and suit of armor around themselves? They have a swagger to their walk and appear to be tough. Underneath this shell is a soft, damaged, human being. The most common thing for people to do is to act tough once they have been hurt. Either knowingly or unknowingly they can deflect any possibility of it happening again if they keep their guard up. Sadly, they are misunderstood and often times hurt even more by their demeanors. I think it is important for us all to be aware of what causes this kind of behavior and to be compassionate towards these people. Show them that we can see behind the mask and that we know there is a soft and tender heart hiding out of harms way. Often times it is the most sensitive people who resort to this kind of behavior. The best thing to do if you know someone like this is to accept them the way that they are. Continue to extend your hand and be a steady, constant, friend in their lives. Prove to them that you can see them in spite of the tough shell they have surrounded themselves by. Once you have gotten inside of those self created walls you will have found a loyal friend. Often times these people have been betrayed by the very people who should have loved them the most. An unfaithful husband, an abusive father, an alcoholic mother, are all classic examples of what can cause this protective shell to be formed. Imagine the disillusionment that comes with experiencing any of these unhealthy relationships. Unfortunately these hurt people draw more experiences of dishonoring people into their lives by having this energy of distrust and anger around them. Until someone is willing to show them that they love them in spite of their tough outer shell, they can’t break out of this unhealthy pattern. So the next time you come across someone who you feel is a tough cookie. Look beyond it for something more. Know that somewhere along the way that someone has robbed them of their ability to trust people. Be that person that can be trusted, restore their faith in people by being an example of unconditional love. It takes time to win over the favor of these people, but once you do it is well worth the effort. Not only does it restore their faith in people, but our own as well. We are able to see that underneath everyone has a good side if we are willing to search for it.