Dear bullies and mean girls alike,

Thank you is probably the last thing I thought I would be saying to you years ago, but here I am now. Through the years, you made me feel small, unwanted and worthless. Why? I'm still not sure why, but I have a few guesses. Maybe because you yourselves were insecure, maybe you felt like by tearing others down it would somehow build you up or maybe it's because you were envious at how full of happiness and love someone else's life could be. So you decided to TRY to strip them of that. But all of that is beside the point, because for once, this is not about you. It's about me, and it will continue to be about me.

You see, after years of leaving school early because I couldn't deal with the tormenting (A great deal of it being anonymous might I add, and it was a bit cowardly, don't you think?), or feeling like I wasn't good enough for you or anyone else for that matter I came to a magically awesome place called college AKA the real world. In this magical land, I have met amazing people who bring out the best in me, and remind me every day that I am worth it, and I do matter. I am loved by so many, just as everyone else you made to feel like nothing is. Now, don't get me wrong, I would never dare tread on your glorious dominion of your hometown high school, but I'm here to set the record straight. You can keep your old hallways and cafeteria tables because I've got the rest of the world and the future in the palm of my hands.

If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have learned that I could over come my lowest of lows, and build myself up to be a loving, caring, and big hearted individual who just so happens to not take any sh*t from anyone. My years of being a doormat taught me to always stick up for the underdogs and to not tolerate the unnecessary cruelty that was so common amongst you all. I learned how to love myself despite what others might say, as well as being able to finally stand up for myself.

So, this letter here is for all of the people you made to feel small because we aren't. This is for all of the tears and pain you've caused. This is a wake-up call from the real world saying you better get your sh*t together because your reign of terror is over.

While you have already peaked and are clinging on to the "glory days" for dear life, the rest of us are just getting started and thanking you for what you've taught us.

On a serious note, I do hope all of the best for you. I hope you've matured and grown as individuals and realized that treating people like garbage is not OK and will get you nowhere in life. I hope you've found happiness because the jealousy, spite and maliciousness that radiated from you way back when was unsettling, and honestly, quite sad. Don't allow yourself to walk the same path as you once did.

Lastly, thank you for teaching me forgiveness. Despite wanting to hate you, and wanting to wish bad things for you; I can't. Thank you for shaping me into the person I am proud to be today, through the good, the bad and the ugly.