It just occurred to me how downright awful bullies are for the world.
The other night I was looking back into my childhood (something I don't do often). For some reason, I just started thinking back to all the teachers I had, the students in school with me, the sports teams I was on, and I realized just how much I suffered as a kid.
I was always so worried about things. So scared.
I was nervous to speak up in class, nervous before sports tryouts, worried about this, stressed about that.
Most people couldn't tell. I guess I did a great job hiding it, keeping my head down, and doing what I was supposed to do.
I don't remember any specific bullies I delt with, but I do remember being afraid of certain older kids when I was super young. Perhaps I had some embarrassing experiences that engrained a sense of fear in me early on. I don't really know. But what I do know is that these learned fears stuck with me into young adulthood.
The other night, as I looked into my past, I realized just how much of an impact our younger years have on our adult selves. Had I really been bullied or abused like so many children are, I started to understand just how much of a lasting effect that has on people, many times without them even realizing.
If we don't question the behaviors, thought patterns, and habits we learned growing up, we are robbing ourselves of the future we deserve.
Think about how many problems there are in this world. They all stem from troubled people. People who steal, lie, cheat, kill. People who are unhappy with their own lives, so they project that onto others.
Why do you think they do that? A few reasons, but mainly learned fear, unhealthy habits, external conditions, and of course, time.
Bullies create all of the above problems.
They are the cause of it. And they are the result of it. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy, unless we break the pattern. As children grow to teenagers and teenagers grow to adults, they become more and more capable of causing real harm to themselves and the whole world.
I'm thinking about dedicating my life to end bullying, because I know how many positive effects that would have on the world.
What has your experience been like with bullying? Have you ever been a bully yourself?
Live with substance!
Gabe
Kommentare