With all the latest headlines about bullying this country has seen over the past several weeks, I asked my daughter to write about it on her blog. We watched the 20/20 special together and I really hope it hits home. It’s important for our children to understand that WORDS hurt. To intentionally make fun of someone who is not a willing participant, to gossip, to intimidate, or otherwise make a person feel less than simply because you want to or can is inexcusable. I read her write-up and of course I wish she had gone more in depth about how it affects students; I’m glad she made the final and most important connection – CHILDREN are dying because of it!
I was neither bullied or a bully, in fact I always took up for the underdog. I’ve always been a PLUS SIZE Model so you bet I was the brunt of many jokes, but I have a fantastic wit. Naturally! And I honed it on the ones who dared to try me. It didn’t mean what they said didn’t hurt; but rather my goal was to make them "feel me". It rarely came to fist-a-cuffs though, and that was simply a matter of God’s grace because Lord knows I said some directly hurtful stuff!
I am very much the same today. If someone says something that offends me or hurts my feelings I strike right back and my goal is to make them feel what I felt. I’m learning that this is not necessarily a good thing, or even the right thing.
As I continue in my service to this community I am learning to be gentler and kinder even if it means not responding at all. For now that is how I am learning. If you’ve noticed [and I KNOW YOU have] I haven’t bothered with the comments about the BOE of late, or the slights here and there; because at the end of the day it doesn’t change my Christmas list one bit. I’m still going to serve, I’m still going to be involved and I’m still going to tell the truth.
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