He Was Diminishing His Own Pain.

"The more we diminish our own pain, the less empathy we have for everyone."

I felt sadness for him.

Even though what he was doing to me was painful, I felt sadness for him, that this was the way he knew how to show up.

I felt sadness that this must have been the way he was shown love and support.

I remember thinking that what he must have been through must be really sad for him to think the way he was treating me was ok.

It didn't take away the pain of what he was doing, but it helped me understand why he was doing it.

He was really diminishing his own pain.

Which explains his actions and how he showed up for other people, and himself.

Send love to these people.