Be Mindful of Your Words

Posted: 11/6/2012

The first time I experienced how it feels to be bullied, I was in sixth grade. I was at a high school football game with a few of my close friends. I do not remember what started it, but I was arguing with a boy in my grade who I had never even talked to before.

Although I cannot recall what fueled our dispute, I distinctly remember the insult he shot my way; he told me that I looked like a man. Keep in mind that in reality, I was simply an eleven-year old girl, not a man.

Instead of sticking up for me, the people I called my "best friends" stood there and laughed. My friends did not defend me, nor did I defend myself. When I got home that night, I finally let myself cry. It was not necessarily what he said that made the most impact, but instead the way I took his words to heart.

Four years later, I am still able picture myself standing in the grass with my friends as they laughed at me. I continue to cringe at the thought of the boy who probably does not have the slightest clue who I am or what he said to me. He is still the reason that I carefully choose what I say to others, because nobody should have to feel the way I did years ago.

It took one comment from a boy I barely knew to realize how easily words can hurt people. Whether you truly mean everything you say or you are only kidding, there is no way to know if someone will actually take you seriously. What you say to people may stick with them for a long time, regardless of your awareness.

Be mindful and cautious of your words, for they can impact others more than you perceive.

By: Rachel