The hardest parts of growing up, often involve bullying.
Emotional, physical, and all sorts of cyber bullying – we’ve all been a victim of one or all these. Maybe, we’ve even found ourselves provoking the abuse.
Growing up, I was the target of several different bullies. In elementary school, I remember taking the long way to class, just to avoid ridicule of immature individuals. I specifically remember two boys (who I had a crush on) taunted me and blackmailed me into using all my allowance money to buy them the latest Will Smith CD. In grade 7, all the girls’ hormones were raging and we bullied each other into tears at least once a week. And of course, I endured my share of teasing, terror and hurtful harassment, while trying to make it through the gruesome years of high school. I’d also be lying if I didn’t admit to the occasional badgering of others to boost my own ego – even though I knew it was wrong.
No one, regardless of skin colour/age/family history/social class/etc., deserves to be bullied.
If you’re a bully, you need to stop. Take a minute and find the real root of your frustrations; once you uncover what’s really making you mad – figure out how to fix them, instead of making innocent people suffer.
And if you’re a victim of bullying, please don’t be afraid to speak up. It seems like a scary thought – but once you stand up for yourself or ask for help, things will get better. You deserve the freedom to be you; you don’t deserve any discrimination or ridicule for being just the way you are.
Love and kindness are louder, better, and more beneficial to everyone.
Let’s make this world a better place. Let’s minimize the judgement, open our minds to each other’s differences, and STOP BULLYING.
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