Love Me For Who I Am Right Now, Dammit!

Why is the desire to be accepted by another so important?  Does that desire keep us from becoming who we were meant to be?  Why do we focus so much time on everything else and everyone else instead of on what we would like to do with our short time on this earth?  When you were young, did it seem like old people had an easy life because they did very little and others waited on them?  Did they appear lazy and you had to work hard at school and helping at home?  Why do we follow others, anyway?  Love me right now, dammit!