Did you think you were cool? Did you get pleasure out of calling me names and making me cry at such a young age? I hope that you didn't. I like to believe that you are actually a decent person. I try to think positively and say that you did not want to hurt me and actually just wanted to fit in with your friend group - so you made fun of me, the girl who was different. I believe that you targeted me specifically because I was the quiet girl who would never stand up to you. This was true, because I never actually had the guts to stand up to you face-to-face. But guess what? I forgive you for all that you did. I forgive you, even if you're not sorry. No, really, it's honestly okay. Thank you. Thank you for what you did.
I definitely didn't think back then that you making fun of me and calling me names, that I'd rather not say, would ultimately make me happier. But it did. Now I realize how thankful I am that you spent your elementary school years making fun of me. Why? Why would I be thanking you for this? It’s simple: in the end you forced me to find happiness in myself. You showed me, as early as the age of 13, that I couldn't depend on anyone else to think I'm good enough. You forced me to grow up.
Now at the time this was all happening I was deeply hurt, of course. I would cry often. I didn't even tell my parents for three years what you did to me. I handled it all on my own, something nobody should ever do. After dealing with you and your unkind words for countless years, I can confidently say that, yes, I was bullied and I'm now okay. It took years to forgive you within myself. I may have never actually said, “You're forgiven,” to your face, but then again you never actually said, “Sorry,” to mine, and this is okay. I don't need your validation or forgiveness. I'm okay and amazingly, I've healed over time. I truly did come out of this situation stronger.
So, thank you for pushing me to find acceptance in who I was. Thank you for making me much stronger than ever before in the end. I hope you never have to experience what you put me through. I wouldn't even wish that on my worst enemy. If one day you find yourself being bullied, I hope that you think of me. Remember what it was like to be on the other side, and promise to never hurt someone like that again.
