ramble

Relationships require active participation from all involved parties.
You cannot expect someone to bend to your every whim without giving consideration to theirs.
I do not care what the situation is.
So many parents use "This is my house" to stifle a child’s whim.
Plenty of people feed into other’s fears to keep them close.

Without you I’m nothing – Placebo

But you are always you.
Never let anyone control you out of fear.
They are weak minded and petty.

Aristotle described four "levels" of happiness. 

1: Immediate Gratification.

If we’re honest, we usually "live" at Level 1 when we are trying to feel better about ourselves or to avoid or subdue our fears. It’s a pretty shallow happiness.

2: Gratification Through Achievement.

We are using our talents to achieve goals, to accomplish something good. There will be some short-term gain and we can experience a sense of success. If we remain here, though, we can become fearful of failure, isolated, jealous, and cynical. Happiness becomes something to be worked at endlessly. After years of this, the burden can become overwhelming.

3: Gratification through contribution.

In this level we take our eyes off ourselves and begin serving others, helping to meet their needs. The benefits of this kind of living can far outweigh more self-centered tendencies. We begin to see ourselves as part of a community, able to make a real difference in the lives of others. Our own happiness increases as we stop grasping for it.

4: Transcendent Gratification.

We are now living for a purpose that is larger than us, something truly worthy of a life, worthy of our life. We seek the happiness and joy of others by giving our energy to justice, peace, beauty, love. We are living for something that will outlast us, something that will contribute to many, many lives, not simply our own.