The bullied.

They may also push you to ask yourself are you guilty of this kind of behaviour.

So let me begin.

I have a friend. She is kind, thoughtful and absolutely beautiful. When she was a teenager, she won a national singing competition against some of the countries finest talent. She sings like an angel. If you close your eyes and listen to her, you may just believe you’re in heaven. She has gone onto win awards, has performed in several successful musicals with rave reviews, and also won a second reality tv show based on social interactions and challenges alongside other celebrities, showing her vulnerability and basically let her guard down so the country could see her for who she is… she isn’t a robot, she isnt made of steel. She is a human. A person who feels, who loves and who hurts.  But Australian’s for some reason love to tear her down. Comments on appearance and opinions on talent. Laughing at another person’s insecurities seems to be the norm these days. People hiding behind smart phones and computer screens to attack people they don’t even know. But why? Is it for laughs or likes? For whatever reason…actually their is no reason good enough to make a human feel less about themselves. Life is complicated enough.

Many years ago, I was friends with a woman I had met at work. She was a wonderful person that was always happy but the eyes never lie and behind that smile was another story. We were chatting over coffee one day when I asked her if she was ok? With just one look at me she burst into tears. She told me that she was worried about her small son, 6, who I found was one of the loveliest kids I’d ever met. He was such a gentle kid and was always smiling. Anyway, the Mum had said that there had been a huge argument with the father the night before over how “soft” he was and she and his Nan babied him. This kid hadn’t wanted to play football and the father was angry about it. The father was a man that wasn’t very well liked by the area. He walked around with an arrogance that he was above everyone else. He was a stand over and people spoke to him not from respect but from fear. I hated to think what that little boy was going through at home. Fast forward a few years and I saw this boy while out shopping one day. He was hanging around the local takeaway shop with a bunch of boys known for  always being in trouble. He came up and gave me a kiss hello but I could tell he was clearly stoned. He wouldn’t have been more than 15. I have seen him not long ago and although he seems to be trying to change his life, I can easily see the struggle. So from a gentle, placid and friendly child, to a youth that was clearly out of control – because of not being “tough enough”. That father – didn’t deserve this kid and is definitely not worthy of him. For the boy to still go out of his way, despite his friends all being there and coming over to say hello to me, gives me comfort to know that the kind and caring kid still lived inside him. There is always hope as long as there is always love.

And finally, myself. I am and have always been, a happy person. A lover of life. Mostly I am kind to people and could rarely say otherwise unless you count my closest friends who I regularly put shit on but hey! I take what I give. But there was a time when I wasnt so happy. I was in year 3 and a girl in year 6 had taken it as a sport to torment me.  Every recess and every lunch. I didn’t have anything to do with her prior to her bullying me but I will never forget her. When I hear the word bullying, I think of her. She was a nasty thing. I cant even tell you what she said, but what I can tell you is that my heart would break when my mum took me to school. I begged her not to leave me and she would cry. I tried to be brave but I was scared and bordering on a break down. I was bloody 8 years old! And this girl, although a child herself, has scarred me. Not in a way that I cant function but in a way where I feel the need to be kind to people and surround myself with the same. I am for the underdogs. Someone has to be!

See, you can say things in jest and think its funny but have you actually thought about what you are doing? How many people have said something to this person before you? After you?

How many children do we have to hear of that have committed suicide over bullying? How they didn’t say anything? How they felt so alone? I don’t understand how it gets to this point. When you ask how someone is, do you actually listen?

These days we worry about things like what brands to wear, hairstyles to get, and even cars to buy. We as a society follow trends to try and stay with the “cool crowd”. Well how about you follow this trend? Its called KINDNESS.. maybe if we all caught on to this, the world, our worlds would be a much more pleasant happier place to live.  Teach our children acts of kindness and empathy. Where kids actually smile through joy and not fear. To treat people with respect and honesty. Allow our children to grow into a world of acceptance. To be different and embrace our quirks and uniqueness. Most importantly, let them look forward to a future full of opportunities instead of killing it on the end of a rope!.