Have you ever been bullied?
Yes? No? Maybe so?
Well it doesn't matter because this is for everyone; the bullied, the bullier, and the bystander.
When I was eleven I experienced a time when I was bullied.
I had always been well known, probably since around the third or fourth grade. I wasn't what you would call popular, just known. I wasn't known at school, because I was home schooled; but I was known at church. A lot of people liked me, everyone knew me, and almost everyone was my friend. Then, in the course of one week..that all changed. I started being ignored, I was being pushed around physically by ones bigger then me, I even started getting letter saying very nasty things.
At first I thought if I ignored them it would go away, but no, it got worse until I had absolutely no one. I never even told my mom about it, because she had always taught me to stand up and fend for myself.
They bullying got so bad, that one day I gave up. I stopped trying to get them to stop hurting me, because I was tired of trying. I didn't really think there was a point.
One morning someone did something so mean to me, I just gave up on my life. I wanted to die and it was pretty clear that no one else wanted me around so I decided I make everyone happy and end it that night; but at lunch that day as I was sitting alone, I lost it. All the tears, the hurt, and the pain I had been keeping inside just came out. I just sat there and cried. Then just as I stopping, someone came and put their hand on my shoulder and asked me a question that included three very small important words :”Are you okay?” and then..I lost it again. Everything that I had been keeping inside of me just came tumbling out of my mouth.
Once an adult knew what was going on she made sure it was stopped almost immediately. Now I don't have any problems at all.
When I was being bullied, you know what really hurt? There were other kids around me that could have been there for me or could have stood up for me, and they just stood on the sidelines!
Have you ever been a bystander when someone was being bullied? You know, the bystander hurts they bullied just as much as a bullier does. You're probably wondering hoe, aren't you? Well here's the answer: it's because they know you can help them. They know you can stand up for them. But that's not the part that hurts them, the part that hurts them is that they KNOW that you KNOW you know you can. So why just sit there and watch while innocent people are hurt for no reason? Why not stand up for them? Because you and I both know that you would want someone to stand up for you.
Last, but not least, this part is for the bully. I, personally, have never been the bullier; BUT, I have seen many bullies at work; and I have noticed that A LOT of bullies have the same excuse: “My situation at home is bad.” Well..I'm truly sorry about that but, in all honesty does that give you any right to treat someone wrong? Absolutely NOT! I believe that if you are being mistreated at home, that should give you all the more reason to treat the people around you right,
If you thought of it, the person you're bullying could become you're best friend; maybe they could become your boyfriend or girlfriend, or who knows, maybe they could become your future husband or future wife. Have you ever thought of that? I bet you didn't.
What if we all did something really crazy...what if we all became friends? What if no one cared about race, religion, gender, or sexuality? What if...we all got along and never hurt each other? What if...we all loved one another for who they are? Think about that.