Throughout many individuals' lives, they're faced with the question, "Why?" Why is it that I look like this? Why does my hair feel this way? Why is it that the mirror is portraying something unseemingly so fragile? Although words can be one of life's significant sources of reassurance, they remain a double-edged sword.
During my life, I've experienced words and their ability to harm others. More often than not, I've been the victim of the misuse of words for bullying. An amusing idea that something completely normal for me is a problem for others. In high school especially, what matters most to those around you is whether or not they are on top. Individuals like me can become the victims of this power dynamic. Often they nitpick at my hair, my skin, my body, maybe my eyes, sometimes my legs, and ultimately anything they can use to exploit their power over their use of words. However, In ensuring that they remain well-liked and out of the radar for becoming a victim, they fail to realize the effects of their actions on people like me.
Bullying, as defined by Oxford, is to "seek to harm, intimidate, or coerce." Moreover, when something such as bullying becomes a daily rendevous for you, millions of side-effects come alongside. Upon looking at the mirror, I see everything brought to light. As a narcissist would do, I check myself like clockwork as if it were an obsession. Repeatedly, I am trying to find the worst parts to fix before I walk inside those school doors. The thoughts that come with the comments made, repeating them over like a broken record. To no avail, those individuals walk around laughing and having fun as if they could never fathom feeling like I do.
It becomes a struggle; and frustrating to hear how you're not good enough or how something about you isn't perfect enough. However, despite this, I show up and work hard, only to be greeted with ridicule and belittlement. While I know this will make me stronger and all of the things people tell me will come, In the present, it's difficult to understand or even believe statements like that. Despite this, I'm here writing this essay In hopes that this sheds some light on my experience and provides solace to anyone who could feel similarly or even relate wholeheartedly. People are not your punching bags to exude your pent-up anger and fear of getting bullied yourself. It's crucial to treat people with the basic respect they deserve. Through dealing with this, I now have to learn how to heal while maintaining my other responsibilities.
Treating people with kindness should be a given, not something that makes you a target yourself. We're all scared, we're all different, and we all deserve to feel good about ourselves. Moving forward, I hope that alongside me, others can heal and cleanse themselves of their own insecurities and worries.
I wrote this on my own so there shouldn't be any plagiarism flags or anything! I hope this helps a bit, don't forget you're strength :))