Bullying
All
violence is the result of people tricking themselves into believing that their
pain derives from other people and that consequently those people deserve to be
punished. ~Marshall Rosenberge
This
morning on the news there was a story about a young boy who was a victim of
bullying. As I watched this news story
my heart broke for him. This boy was so
traumatized by bullying at school that he pulled his braces off with pliers
because of the ridicule he received from his classmates about his braces. He also went into the cafeteria of the school
and took nine hydrocodone pills. He left
a note that said he wanted those who were bullying him to understand how hurt
he was by them. They made fun of him
because he was skinny and made fun of his clothes and shoes because they were
not the up to date brands.
When
I was in the 4th or 5th grade I was extremely shy. I found it hard to make friends due to my
shyness so I was what you would call a loner or to be more exact I was
lonely. In one of my classes the teacher
would have us play this game where one student could go up to the front of the
class and basically play the teacher while the teacher left the room. All of the students had to be silent and the
student at the front of the class was to select the student who was the
quietest one and then that student got to go to the front of the class to play
teacher.
What
would happen was that if the teacher selected a female student then the girl
would always select another girl. If the
teacher happened to choose a male student at the beginning of the game then
most of the time a male student was chosen.
Well I guess I didn’t realize the silent rules of the game. One day someone chose me as the quietest
student. When I got up to the front of
the room I was so excited because someone had chosen me. Well I forgot the unspoken rule that a girl
always picked another girl so instead of selecting a girl I chose a male
student. You see where this is going don’t you.
The
girls ostracized me from their activities.
They couldn’t believe I broke the chain of girls at the front of the
room and chose a boy so they didn’t have anything to do with me after
that. I can remember how painful it was
to go out on the playground and none of the girls would speak to me. I was devastated.
There
was one other thing that I remember from that day. I remember the boy I chose to take my place
at the front of the room. He was the
only one who would speak to me after that incident. I will be forever grateful to him. We both grew up and went to high school
together and because our last names began with the same letters, we sat next to
each other throughout our remaining years in school. In my eyes he became a
great man because of the kindness he showed a lonely little girl. He is now the principal of the high school
where I graduated.
I
just love the Beatitudes because of the wealth of wisdom they contain. That little girl that so long ago felt the
grief of loneliness is no longer lonely.
My God saves and He loves me unconditionally and when I fall he lifts me
up, when I sin he guides me back to the paths of righteousness. I will never be lonely again.
Prayer for
the Day:
Heavenly Father, You created each of us in your likeness. I often don’t understand how children learn
to be hurtful and mean to others. Please
forgive me when I treated others without mercy or grace. You teach me to love others but I don’t
always do what I know is right. Guide me
through this life with a love for others like the love You show me.
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