I’m sure we’ve all been there: having a bad day and cannot think of anything positive to say to someone. It happens. We have all experienced moments in our lives when we let our emotions get the best of us. But I personally have experienced the other end of the spectrum, more times than I would like to admit. I am by no means perfect. I have been mean to people, people I barely know, and people who are close to me. However, I have never intentionally gone out of my way to make people feel as if they are worthless, or put them down. That is something I would never want to do. But to those who have intentionally done that me, I would like to know why.

What did I ever do to you for you to say those things to me? I wish I could give you the benefit of the doubt, and tell myself that you did not mean those things or that you were just having a bad day, but I can’t. Those things you said, the way you looked at me, I remember that as if it were replaying on a screen in front of me. At the time, it really didn’t get to me. It still doesn’t get to me as much as I bet you hoped it would. I do not sit up at night thinking about what I did to make you feel this way about me. I just don’t understand, that’s all. I’m confused, I guess you could say. Confused as to why you chose me to look at in that way. Confused as to why you never had a good thing to say about me. Confused as to why all your insults really did not make any sense. Confused as to why you were saying all these things when you still don’t even know really anything about me.

I am addressing this to all of those who like to put people down. It happens too often; you do this too often. What is it about putting people down that makes you feel so great? I was never one to truly take it to heart, but I know people who do. Some people care about people’s opinions more than others. Do not blame them for that. They cannot help how they feel, but you can help what you say and do. I truly believe you cannot like everyone you meet. That is just a part of life that challenges us as humans. Clearly, you failed that challenge. I may sound harsh, but I have witnessed too many people I care about being put down for reasons that are out of their control. No one is perfect, and for people to constantly put other people down for these imperfections are hypocrites and just plain mean. No one deserves to feel worthless or uncomfortable by someone else because the other person is unwilling to see the best in people.

So, to those who like to put people down, I have some advice for you: Stop. Please. For the sake of those who take people’s opinions of them too literally, and for your own sake. It will take a lot of negativity out of your life if you stop putting others down. I can promise you that it doesn’t make you a better person if you treat people like you’re better than them. This statement is overused, but I think it applies very well to this ending: Treat others how you want to be treated. Living by this motto can make life a lot brighter, and who doesn’t want to live a happy life?