How would you describe your responsibility boundaries?

Based on the experiences when I was seven of fighting and having my gullibility tested, I wanted to be someone who caused no harm. My parents taught me early on to accept responsibility for my actions. Putting the two together, I decided that an individual is responsible for the harm he/she causes and must face the consequences. These two girls were responsible for how they treated me, just as I was responsible for how I treated them. I was also responsible for my reactions and how I treated myself.  These pre-made decisions about the demarcation lines for responsibility would come in very handy when I was under excessive stress in survival mode. They would become the boundaries that protected me, my lines in the sand or “don’t cross this line,” so to speak. We all know there is a balance to find. Some people blame others too much and treat themselves like victims. Some people feel the need to control others and treat themselves like martyrs. The balance is not in the middle between extremes. The balance is when dualistic opposites cease to have meaning. Of course, I didn’t know this at age 7, but I did decide on my boundaries at the time and have continued to adjust them as appropriate.