As a 33-year-old woman who endured bullying in my teenage years, I feel it is only appropriate that I write a passage on it.
Recently, we have seen more about bullying across the internet. Every time I see something about kids ganging up on one another, whether it is for being different in their own ways or something as simple as skin color I think of the golden rule; treat others how you want to be treated. First, I would like to say that it breaks my heart to see the suicide stories that come along because of bullying. Yes, it is very sad, but in many ways, I know where the victim is coming from.
Bullying hurts. It scars you for life. Nothing monetary or otherwise is going to take away that pain. Take my story for instance. I was bullied because of my disability. These guys who will remain nameless thought it was hilarious that I have a startle reflex. Because of my Cerebral Palsy, I tend to startle easier than most people. Most people lose this reflex as they grow older and out of the baby phase.
For some reason, though, it doesn’t leave those of us with Cerebral Palsy. These guys used to think it was funny to slam their books down, so I would startle, and they would laugh. Of course, this hurts my feelings, so I told one of my teachers and they got suspended. Because of their treatment, I am still extremely sensitive to any kind of teasing, even if it is normally meant to be playful.
Let me reiterate. These feelings do not go away. Sure, now that I am older, I know that they probably teased me to make themselves laugh and feel better about themselves. It is what social workers call projection. It is the act of pushing your feelings on to someone else to achieve better self-esteem or worth.
It is sad that someone else should have to do that to be happy with themselves. Logically, it does not make much sense. However, if you look at it with more of a psychological angle, it makes more sense. This is not meant to excuse the behavior, but rather, to have a better understanding of why it is happening.
Of course, now that I am a grown woman, I have moved beyond the bullying. Of course, yes, it still does hurt my heart, but I bet you that my bullies have moved on with their lives, so I must do the same. In this discombobulated world, we need love more than ever. We just need to be kind to each other and remember that we are all human. We all yearn for acceptance and love. We all bleed red blood and are all are trying to achieve what we have been set forth to do. Life is not easy at all, but if we all band together to make some differences, it may make the world a better and more peaceful place to live.
