Bullies

{Babble}

My co-workers have really interesting conversations.

One time, I entered the break room and heard a dissection of why Sandra Bullock’s marriage failed. Another time, there was a question posed on what do we call women who used to be in relationships with men but then got involved with other women but then went back to men (Anne Heche, we’re talking ’bout you.) A couple of days ago, the conversation turned to bullies.

Yea, yea, we’ve all been bullied now and then.  My most vivid one was probably of my (now) good friend, who used to team up with another girl in my school and pick the heck out of me. They would make fun of me for being such a book worm. They would rat me out to the teachers when I read under the tables while in class. They would isolate me. It’s not as bad as it sounds (okay, it was) but the thing was, Eve and Alice were also still my friends. So even though bullied me in those ways, it was in a friendly joking way that I forget about the next day (I lie, I haven’t forgotten, or else why would I bring it up after 15 years?)

But some of my co-workers have had it rough.

One described wearing overalls in high school and how some bigger bully would lift her by those overall straps and swing her around. Another described how when he was changing during gym class, a bully would come up and pretend to fake hump him in front of all the other classmates. Another spoke about lunchtime food peltings and apple sauce stealings.

Wow.  Those are nothing like my middle school and high school experiences.  In middle school, even though I wasn’t part of the popular crowd, at least I wasn’t ostracized or beat up. And in high school, I was fortunate enough to go to a school where the nerdy kids in the honor classes ruled the school just as much as the jocks and the cheerleaders did.  I think the worst thing I endured in high school was like, an immature anonymous comment to my livejournal.

The most striking thing about the conversation was how nonchalant my co-workers seemed about their past.  They were not torture souls who harbor deep resentment on all mankind. No-they’ve moved on.  The past is nothing but a memory.

I took away two things from this conversation.

1) I am one lucky son of a gun.  Thanks to Him, not only am I saved, but I got to enjoy a pretty fine childhood as well. I didn’t deserve it but I got one.  So grateful.

2) Things will always pass. No matter how good, no matter how bad, all things eventually just become memories. (Look at me gettin’ all poetic.)  Gettin’ an overalls wedgie is humiliating and insulting and crappy and all that but if you move on, you can let yourself become a cool adult working at an awesome cable channel, eating lunch with cool co-workers like Janice Jann. (jk jk?) Only our Creator and his love is eternal.  Get over the bad stuff, enjoy the good stuff. Time is too short to hold on to the past (Serious, Emily Dickinson over here.)

You think about it.  Happy Friday!

PS.  Is it just me or is the coming of Spring giving me Spring fever to travel? I just want to pack up my bags and go somewhere for a weekend!

{Inspired}

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posted by Janice | Comment: 6 | God, Job, Travel

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