I think when others write of validation what they (and I) mean is that we have overcome any shame and present ourselves to the world, warts and all, refusing to hide behind locked doors anymore. Here we are, in public, and life is grand!
For myself, the first hundred times or so I went out always felt like magic the moment my heel touched the pavement. The exhilaration, a sense of floating in a way, sent happy brain chemical production into overdrive. Anyone who has gone out knows this sensation, you feel absolutely fizzy.
These days (it is in excess of 500 outings now) that initial rush is gone but still I feel contentment upon stepping outside, it is absolutely natural but it is also very hard to describe. I suppose it is like you exhale a colossal metaphorical sigh and feel a sense of relief. Or maybe that sensation of when you are stuck in heavy traffic and suddenly you can accelerate away! Either way, once you taste this delicacy, you know you must always have it.
