Every day I would wake up and think that it would be a better day until someone would say something to me that would crush my heart, make me cry, and want me to disappear. Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will always break me. Marks and bruises will fade away but the things you say will forever remain ingrained in my mind, constantly destroying me.
Every time I look in the mirror, go outside, sit down, or even lay in bed. I think of every.goddamn.word.they.said.to.me.
Bullying is an evil all by itself but it’s even worse when the victim is told “It will get better” by the people around them instead of being offered real help. I have been told countless times that things would get better in high school or college and I just had to wait and see for myself.
Don’t just say “It will get better.” Don’t offer any advice to make the victim feel any smaller than they already feel. Stop the bullying in its tracks. Be a decent human being and stand up for the people that feel too worthless and powerless to do it themselves because things don’t just get better.
They’re not invisible. I know that you can see that individual that you kind of know but don’t really want to associate with get bullied and you probably feel like crap every time people bully that person. You might tell yourself that it isn’t your business and someone else will stop it, but you’re wrong. If you are not stepping in when you see someone getting bullied, you are indirectly bullying that person and should feel responsible to stop it from happening.
For every victim out there, I wish that I had the capability of being louder than the insecurities of every person who has ever been bullied but unfortunately the insecurities will always be louder until you are ready to block out that sound. Learning to love yourself can be so hard when the world keeps telling you that you don’t deserve to love yourself but you eventually will. It will take time, yes, but it also takes a lot of courage and acceptance of who you are. If no one stands up for you, stand up for yourself.
