I may seem confident and strong on the outside but I'm actually very vulnerable and fragile. I may not show it but I yearn for affirmation from time to time. That's the reason why I easily get affected when I get criticisms or put-downs. And it hurts me most when it comes from people close to me. I can relate to one player in our school's basketball team. Guy seems nice with his quiet demeanor and boyish looks. However, for some reason, coaches always pick on him. He makes a mistake then the coaches take turns berating him. Maybe they want him to toughen up, improve his skills, etc. But what's great about this guy is, he doesn't seem to let those things affect him. What broke my heart was when I saw him return to the bench one time. Normally, coaches would give you a pat on the back for a job well done. Or you can get an earful if you made errors. But this guy, he was the one who approached his coach, with wondering eyes and the thumbs up sign. The poor hijo was a...