Each morning, I read a blog by a wonderful woman. She is faithful, kind and very creative. Her journey is one of deep commitment and joy. She is my ideal
Today she posted a story that her son was being bullied and the ripple effect it had through her family. Her wonderful, close family.
When I hear about specific bulling stories, my heart beats faster, my hands tremble a bit and my mind races so fast that it sounds like rushing water in my ears.
I remember.
As a family, we moved every two years. My father was always searching for something better. The big job, the big house, the big car. I went to many schools. { 8?, 9? Including 3 different high schools}
The new kid at a school is always a target, until the other kids discover how cool the new kid is. Lets face it. That was not going to happen to me. I was not cool, pretty or smart. I was sad, misplaced and to be honest, not nurtured much at all. {I was told to quote-BUCK UP-unquote. My father had no patience for such things as bulling}
This morning, while reading the blog of my favorite Blogger, I wanted to reach through my computer and hug her. She showed so much courage sharing the story. There is one way that we can change bulling. Bullies must be made accountable and then shown the love that perhaps they are missing in their life.
Every new school for me was a nightmare. I learned early on just to avoid telling about the bulling when it happened, but above all, avoid the problem at all costs.
No one except my family knew what I was going through. They were convinced that it was me who was the problem. I am sure that my parents did they best they could while I was growing up…..times where very different.
We never know what someone might be going through, so it is best to be kind to everyone. , I say to my favorite blogger: Thank you for giving me the courage to share part of my story.
Courage by example. Oui? {it is ok to smile now}
Love you beyond the moon.
Me
Robin: your bullying blog hit home for me today. I guess I wasn’t actually bullied, but I just never fit in during junior high & high school and it effected me for many years. Spring Lake was a wealthy town and I did not come from wealth — far from it. My parents divorced when I was in 2nd grade and that was not a “thing” then, not like it is now anyway. My mom worked hard to make ends meet and she was very distant to me and always was it seemed. She passed away many years ago and was never a happy, positive person. Very sad. (I haven’t told too many people this, but feel I can tell you, but I mourned Ajax’s death much more than my mom’s)
I grew out of having that feeling of being inferior, but not until much later in my life. Maybe I created my own bullying internally?
One of my motto’s is that you need to be nice to people because you have no idea what they are facing or going through. Everyone has their own “warts”, no matter how wealthy or old they are. We need to remember that and try to be kinder.
So sad you had to experience that, Robin. We are so fragile at that age, just when we are deciding who we are. I remember in 5th grade, my hair braids started to come undone on the playground while I was hanging upside down on the monkey bars. I was so happy…that was my favorite thing to do. I was grinning from ear to ear when a snotty little girl came up to me and said, with the other kids around, “You look like something the cat dragged in!”
I was devastated-obviously still remember it.
Well, it was their loss Robin…they didn’t know what a beautiful heart and spirit you were given. Lots of people know that about you now, right????