I recently received a message from a childhood schoolmate:
I doubt you remember me as this is quite over a decade out of date. However, at Newmark you made my middle school days a bit more bearable. For a quiet fat kid like me, it was not the easiest transition. You were always kind to me, despite the pressures of the other "popular kids". I simply wanted to thank you for your kindness. Though it has been almost 15 years, it made a lasting impression on me. Again, thank you, and I hope the years have been as kind to you as you were to me.
The person that wrote me this message could never know how much this means to me at this time in my life. I remember this boy well. Although in Middle School I looked like a 40 year old Hispanic women, I somehow had just enough spunk and fashion sense to be considered what I would call "middle class cool" and therefore I flew under the bully radar and was even accepted by the "upper class cool" kids. Special thanks to my childhood friends that never let our friendship diminish, even if at the time I did weigh more than most of our teachers (men included).
Bullying has seem to become this new "in" thing but the truth is, it has always been there. Television shows like Glee and the "Bully" documentary have brought a spotlight on this topic. We are hearing about the harsh effects of bullying all over the media, young people ending their lives or using violence to express the pain that they are feeling. I listened to a NPR podcast about the human brain when we are going through puberty. Take a minute to think of something you have memorized from childhood; all the prepositions, 50 states and capitals, a silly song or rhyme. Now think of a vivid memory of embarrassment or sadness that is branded into your mind, both memories probably come from around the same time in your life. That age between 11-14, MIDDLE SCHOOL! Our brains at this time are growing and flooded with new feelings and bombarded with knowledge. I don't know the answer to stop bullying, actually I don't think it will ever stop. It even happens in the adult world, corporate play grounds, PTA mom's and dad's...but it is important not to take yourself or others to seriously. We are trying to find our purpose, to find happiness, humor and love, it is just important to find these things, not at the cost of others. I am grateful to my classmate for sending me this message, it brightened my day.
I doubt you remember me as this is quite over a decade out of date. However, at Newmark you made my middle school days a bit more bearable. For a quiet fat kid like me, it was not the easiest transition. You were always kind to me, despite the pressures of the other "popular kids". I simply wanted to thank you for your kindness. Though it has been almost 15 years, it made a lasting impression on me. Again, thank you, and I hope the years have been as kind to you as you were to me.
The person that wrote me this message could never know how much this means to me at this time in my life. I remember this boy well. Although in Middle School I looked like a 40 year old Hispanic women, I somehow had just enough spunk and fashion sense to be considered what I would call "middle class cool" and therefore I flew under the bully radar and was even accepted by the "upper class cool" kids. Special thanks to my childhood friends that never let our friendship diminish, even if at the time I did weigh more than most of our teachers (men included).
