November 16 to 22 is bullying awareness week.
There will be a poem coming a little later, but first I want to talk and share about bullying and it's negative affect on the world.
Not only as a victim, but also someone who hates it, I am all about anti-bullying. When I was in school I was bullied. People would always make fun of and laugh at me.
In elementary school there were other kids who were always mean for no reason and would pick and start fights with me. It's true what they say, "Kids can be very cruel." They often preyed on my weaknesses.
Even in high school I was bullied, not only by fellow students and classmates, but by teachers and staff as well. Which was the inspiration behind my poem I Am Who I Am which I posted this year on Black History Month back in February, and has been published twice in collections.
I was often attacked for the way I looked, the way I dressed, the food I ate and drank for lunch, the classes and courses I took, the fandoms I loved, and even my personality.
A bully is not necessarily someone who hits you (which would be physical bullying). A bully is also someone who attacks you in a negative way physically, verbally, and/or electronically (cyber bullying) to hurt you. Anyone who hurts you physically, emotionally, or in any other way is a considered a bully. You seen, a bully is someone who uses power and intimidation over you.
The sad truth is that bullying doesn't just happen to children and teenagers, it also happens in the adult world all the time too. I've seen grown men and women get bullied, but the difference is they know how to handle it better.
Don't ever let people hurt you in any way. We are all the same with differences, we are all unique individuals and special in our own way. Bullying usually comes from jealousy and envy, and at the end of the day all bullies are cowards.
Don't listen to anything negative that others have to say about you or the people you care about, don't change anything about yourself to please anyone else. You are who you are, so keep being yourself and be proud of yourself! Don't let criticism have an effect on what you say or do, and don't let it affect the way you think of yourself. Stand up to bullying, and rise above the hate!
This part is especially for kids all around the world: Do not be afraid to walk away from a fight. You don't need to fight someone if you don't want to; except in a case of self-defence. You should never have to do anything you don't want to do; don't let people force you against your will.
If you need to talk to someone, do it. Find someone who you can trust and you know cares about you, and they will listen. There is always someone out there who will listen to you.
Never feel alone or unwanted, you belong to this world as much as anyone else does. You matter, and you were put on this earth for a reason, and don't you ever forget that.
