Being bullied is no laughing matter

Not many of my friends know about my childhood and my experiences with being bullied.

I was in the sixth grade when I first recall it happening. My mother was tutoring a young woman and I was in the room alone with her highschool age daughter.

I can still remember the heaviness of the girl’s voice – “Give me a kiss.”

When I refused - (because back then I thought girls were yucky) she latched on to me and forced a kiss on my lips anyway. She then pushed me back and called me a name. She then called me weak – and with a dejected look she walked away. I was stunned and hurt. It was my first kiss and I was pushed to the side like I was flotsam. What should have been a special time in my life for me to savor, instead was perverted and made me feel inadequate.

It was one of the first instances of my life when I remember being bullied and made to feel weak. I would find that throughout my years in highschool, I would be on the receiving end of taunts and bad jokes. Kids picked on me because I was skinny.

They would often wrap their hands around my wrists and my ankles to see how small they were. I was called every name that a skinny person could be called – from stick-stickly to an AIDS patient.

I was called Steve Urkel on a regular basis.

If a day went by that I wasn’t called Urkel at least five times it was a blessing.

My stomach was in knots nearly everyday of highschool, my stomach would stay upset the whole day, for fear of the teasing and the attacks.

At night I would come home and just get in the bed and dream for a better day. I often thought of suicide – and would often make plans to run away.

My parents, God bless them, did their best for me. But what I needed at the time was not someone to make the bullying stop, but to encourage me and tell me that I wasn’t those awful things that my peers said.

Years after I was bullied I still had problems socially. I was dejected. I hated being touched, and I had an intense anger toward – well toward nearly everyone. It has taken me years and the love of the Lord to move past the anger and rejection I felt growing up.

I’m still a work in progress.

Every time I read about a young man or young woman who has taken their life because they have been bullied, I think there but the grace of God go I.

If you know anyone who is getting bullied, if it's your own child, or perhaps a neighbor's child then I implore you sit down with them. Tell them to stand up for themselves, but at the same time tell them why they are so great, and why they aren't those things their peers are saying.

Parents, don't take it personal that your child is being bullied. Just be there and love them. Let them hear positive words, because once their self esteem is high, nothing can hurt them or touch them.

Bullying is serious and its no laughing matter.