The Missing Souls

#stopbullying

I didn't really plan on updating for a bit, I'm sorry and I'll come back to it later, but I was tagged by PercyJackson81893 The tag was too important for me to ignore, so here we are.

First of all, bullying is not ok. In anyway you try to put it or make excuses, bullying is not ok now or ever. It's unnecessary, and not needed. The only thing that comes from bullying is pain.

Bullying has spread like a wildfire throughout the world. It doesn't matter whether you're in Zimbabwe or Argentina, there's still bullies. Bullies are everywhere, in your school, on your team, even in your family. The sad fact is they target you, because they're insecure themselves. This is why we need to make that extra effort to reach out to someone we see by themselves or upset. We weren't the generation that started bullying, but we are the generation that can end it.

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I thought that I could share some of the effects of bullying, that I've felt. To start off, yes I was bullied.

I was bullied in third grade by some girls in my class. Looking back, I can't remember what they had said or done to me, but I know it really upset me to the point where I was crying myself to sleep and would beg my parents not to force me to go to school. At the time it was upsetting to my parents, but no consequences ever came to the bullies.

Then summer came, I tried to ignore it. They had lightened up and sort of forgot about me by fourth grade. By then, I was left out of everything. I felt like an outsider and dreaded school, where I would feel awful. At the end of that year, I transferred schools.

In fifth grade at the new school, I didn't really fit in either. I was the new kid, the weird one. They made fun of how dressed, still called my mom 'mommy, what team I liked, and said some really messed up things that they shouldn't have known.

The next year came, worse than the first. I'd had a speech impediment since I could talk, and they didn't really notice it until this year. They constantly made fun of everything I said. At the time I didn't really understand what was going on, and that they were laughing at me not with me, but I still knew something wasn't right.

I transferred from that school the next year, and was happy with my current school, even dreading the end of the year. However, it still affected me. They had posted on social media, even getting their younger siblings to join in. Because of that, I depreciated my self worth constantly, and was depressed for about a year and a half.

I'm getting better now, because I have a good support group. But, for so long all I wanted was to disappear.  I wanted to leave the world, but I didn't, and I'm so glad I didn't.

My situation isn't as bad as others, nor is it close to being as bad. That doesn't change the fact that I was bullied, and it felt absolutely awful. I wouldn't wish bullying upon anyone, even the bullies themselves. Knowing and experiencing bullying first hand, I can tell you it needs to be stopped.

You may have been having a crappy day, and just want to lash out at somebody, but don't, please don't. Remember how awful you feel, and just take time to stop and think 'Am I really going to make someone feel awful, on purpose?' 

Please stop and think before you post, or say something hurtful. You never know who's on the edge, and all it could take is something mean from you to push them over. And if you see or know about bullying, report it! I can almost guarantee it will save someone's life.

Something else pretty major, is putting stress on others. People need to understand the kind of stress we're under. Our grades, sports, and activities. We're expected to always give 100%, do everything perfectly, and make others look good. When we don't, we're the ones to blame. Miss a practice, because you're exhausted and feel like crap? Disappointment!

Guess what, we aren't perfect. We can't just wave our magical wand and get good grades or do well in games. I can try, but I can only handle so much pressure; I'm sure others believe that too. These perfect ideals people set for us....are as bad as bullying. We can't live up to everything we're supposed to, and that's ok. Don't play something just because people want you to, play it because you want to. Ultimately we make the choices that define us, so make the choices you want to.

We've addressed we have a problem, or if you haven't..address it. We can put an end to bullying and all these perfect image ideals. Remember to Stop, think, and Smile.

I'm not going to tag just a few people. To all who read this, I tag you. It doesn't matter if you have a story or not, create one, and tag others. Spread the word, bullying is going to end, and we are going to be the ones to put a stop to it.