I was once a doormat, welcoming and inviting for all to stomp on. An introverted mindset with hyper-sensitivity and a fragile kindness often viewed as weakness is truly a recipe for disaster in a world that projects skewed Darwin philosophies on how to treat one another: survival of the fittest or get burned.

I could begin this emotionally messy, but dedicated article spewing jargon on my personal experiences, and that of my friends. How my pillow was stained with 2nd to 4th grade years worth of evening tears. How the school bus became a battleground for so many, sometimes me being a bystander, others with me playing victim and in some twisted cases, me pulling the trigger. How my sister, a natural born leader, was forced to remain quiet in a cocoon, because her intelligence was mocked and seen as a flaw, rather than as a gift. How some of my closest friends grew depressed in middle school, which manifested and affected them deeply throughout high school. I could provide every intimate detail: the criticism looking inward and outward on mirrors- determining my worth based on the words of others that hold more destruction than that of physical assault. I can even throw a few fancy, up-to-date statistics to affirm my points.

But, I'm not veering towards that direction because, more likely than not, you're going to feel sorry, pity me for enduring such adversity, and suddenly, develop a social-justice complex on saving the schools. You may even go the extra mile and post an awe-inspiring status emphasizing the importance of being kind, with subtle intentions of receiving a thread of "PREACH" comments beneath. However, you'll only care for a hot minute; once sixty seconds of pseudo-activism and sainthood are done, you're going to forget and then, move on. You'll continue on with the rest of your day with a morning coffee, skim through some meme tweets, or if you're an adult with children, thank the lucky stars that your child is deemed "cool," upholding a "if it's not my kid being affected, then why bother?" demeanor: an attitude that conveys indifference and condescension.

Bullying is cumbersome; it's rarely discussed within classroom walls, and it's certainly not the hot dinner table topic, unless of course, a tragedy occurs. Then, we're uncomfortable and are forced to care; yet, on a regular basis, our common sense regarding the standards on how we should treat others with compassion and empathy is forgotten, or rather, a distant memory that our parents boast about while highlighting their glory days without social media.

Generally, children cannot grasp most forms of tragedy, like losing a parent; however, they can conceptualize the magnitude and unrelenting cruelty behind their harassers actions and deadly blows. The implications after one is tantalized are haunting in that these overt hints instilling inferiority travel with time, forming mental bruises without erasure nor bandages. After one becomes a victim to bullying, a vicious cycle commences, starting with self internalization of not being wanted, not being worthy, not being important; from there, the bullying will possibly persist, as the victim now becomes a frequent target. The victim will develop self-esteem disturbances, and you guessed it, no one will intervene. Fortunately, many choose to wear their battle scars with pride, wearing a strength as a statement of their own experiences. Or, the horrifying, indescribable devastation could happen: the victim will execute fatal measures to make a mark, to end the pain. Each bullying story is unique, but writes the common nightmare shared and lived by the majority: a narrative that to this day, no one seems to be taking seriously and to those who do, you're everyone's hero.

Call me bitter. Call me a bitch. Call me whatever nasty name you want. I'll continue to write with a power and aim to inspire some sort of change. I'll scream my opinion from the rooftops: people, with the exception of organizations and advocates who dedicate their entire lives to the issue, truly do not care about the savagery and ramifications of bullying with a level of passion that's necessary for reform. Schools have become and, despite zero tolerance policies, still resemble war zones; students have become aggressors, victims, or vigilant in order to adapt and remain safe amidst such hostility. And, with growing interest and usage of social media among younger generations, the war perpetuates, even when the school day ends.

Perhaps, the worst offenders of all are the teachers and parents, yes, them, who act as perpetrators, through social engineering cliques or turning blind eyes. The, "But, not all ____" mantra obviously applies here--- still, the lessons, values, and ideal behaviors and actions of kindness are learned in the home. Children are impressionable, and adults are responsible for shaping them into kind and caring beings to the best of their ability. Sadly, our failure is transparent and quite frankly, insulting.

There's no statement disseminating a more problematic message than "Sticks and Stones may break bones, but names will never hurt me." I think we've all realized the blatant lie at this point. A bully's words etch and imprint onto the minds and souls of its victims, forever bruised and never forgotten. They make their mark, spreading like cancer until the victim becomes futile against negative thoughts and insecure preoccupations. If this doesn't anger you, then you're part of the problem. Someday, you'll carry the weight of your poignancy when someone you know, someone you love, shows signs of suffering from ongoing torment; and sometimes, it's far too late.