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The following post was written by me for my friend Jonathan Pearson’s blog - People of Uncommon: Scott Sandmeyer.
My online friend, Jonathan Pearson, wrote the blog post Why Don’t We Do Something? based on this Time Magazine article The Bullying of Seth Walsh: Requiem for a Small-Town Boy. There’s been a lot of talk about bullies this week. Heck, there’s been a lot of talk this month. With kids and teens killing themselves because the worlds telling them that they’re not good enough or normal enough, it’s been pretty tragic. I’ve even heard stories from my junior high and high school classmates. People I had no clue that were being bullied. Luckily, I dealt with my bullying issues when the kids started in on my son, Tim. I’m posting my response to Jonathan’s blog post here.
I think it’s a lot easier to look back at these incidents as adults and ask these questions. I had friends when I was growing up, I had parents who cared, but my friends didn’t stick up for me and I begged my parents not to get involved. So, the bullying continued for 2 or 3 years. It wasn’t fun, it wasn’t pleasant, and I had to throw a punch once to defend myself. But the words didn’t get easier to hear nor did the small physical confrontations in the halls and stairs stop. I think they finally got tired of using me as their plaything. I don’t know why it stopped. My mom, bless her heart, did get involved once or twice.
I can only tell you that I was furious when my son was picked on in school. It brought back all those memories. I called the principal and didn’t care what my son wanted, but because it was the last day of school before a 2 week Christmas vacation, I’m sure my concerns were brushed under the rug at the Christian school we paid to teach my child.
I think when parents stop feeling like they’re better than whatever group of people and they stop teaching their kids that they are better than other people, the bullying will stop. Louis VanAmstel of Dancing With The Stars fame said that if we stopped labeling people, then the bullying would stop. I finally realized that God loves everyone. He loves the gay and straight, the pastor and the pornographer, the housewife and the hooker. We ALL are sinners. We ALL share that label. God is no respecter of position in this world. We ALL need to get over ourselves and grow up and start loving our neighbors. Because we all all neighbors in this world.
So, I was reading a fellow-Tweeter’s (Jonathan Pearson) blog and he had this same post. I already told him that I was going to steal his idea and do my own post. So, here goes…
1. I dislike shopping: I don’t think I was there the day that God handed out the shopping gene to all the other women. I especially dislike shopping for myself, which I think has to do with not being able to shop in “regular” stores. It’s an issue. If I’m buying things for other people, sometimes I enjoy it more. If the store is really crowded, like our Super Walmart, I would rather be stabbed with a toothpick in the neck many times!
2. I am an INTJ: Yes, you read correctly. I am in introvert. Now, anyone who knows me at least a little bit will be surprised by this. I am loud, I like to talk, and I talk to other people in grocery lines. But, every time I take this test I score this way. I think that it has to do with the fact that I like to work alone on my own projects. I don’t mind being a team player with a small group of trusted people, but really, I’m an independent.
3. I am addicted to reading. I am never without a book in my purse or in my car. Sometimes I have one in each place. I like to read fiction about relationships along the lines of authors Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb and Debbie Macomber, but since pursuing my relationship with Jesus more, in the last 2 years I’ve been known to read a non-fiction book. I have read hundreds and hundreds to books and I keep track of every book I read on Goodreads.
4. I can not sit in my office without music on. I listed to internet radio, especially Air1 and 88.3 The Rock. I have moved away from secular radio more and more over the last six years. I used to faithfully listen to a Hardcore Christian Rock station out of Phoenix, but it’s off of the internet now. I have the radio on all day from the moment I wake up, while I’m getting ready, in the car, in my office, and on the way home. I thrive on good music.
5. I really love people and my heart aches to help others. I’ve done missionary work when I was in high school. I traveled with a Christian group for three summers, traveling the eastern seacoast and to Haiti twice. It was so rewarding. I had intended to return to Haiti after college, but God put my husband in my life right before graduation. I really hope to return some day. So, today I work with my church, work with those I have contact with, and with my clients, hoping to make the world just a little better.
