For those of you who get my newly published/updated posts via e-mail, I would like to apologize for the glut of new e-mails you are about to receive!
I recently made two decisions. The first was to publish The Bully Chronicles as a link list on my right sidebar. The second was to edit those links, so that the names were different.
I only just discovered some of my former classmates occasionally read my blog. When I first started my blog, I thought only a handful of people would ever read it. Now that I KNOW some people from my past read my blog, I don’t want to run the risk of embarrassment for anyone.
You will notice I did not change a particular name.
I know I’ve said this before, but writing The Bully Chronicles was one of the best things about starting my own blog. I was able to sit down and really express those horrible experiences. Once I was finished, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders!
I’m glad I went on to cheerier things, but the torment I suffered at the hands of my childhood bullies shaped me and defined me in a way I’d never been able to express previously.
My story was out. It was out in the only way I could SHOUT to the world, “This really happened to me!” It felt good, and I finally felt vindicated! This is why I decided to publish the link list.
Again, I apologize for the oncoming sludge of newly updated posts (to change the names of the guilty), and promise this is a one-time thing!
Thanks so much for understanding!
4 comments:
OK, I just read the first installment and about jumped through my computer. What I find appalling about bullying is that we teach kids how to handle being bullied rather than teaching kids not to bully. I pretty much slid under the radar most of the time, but both Darren and my brother were bullied mercilessly. It's so awful. And I'm sorry it ever happened to you. Especially (surprise! ha ha) at a Christian school.
Oh and one more thing. Maybe this is not very sanctified of me, but if I were blogging this I totally would have put first and last names. And parents' names. And addresses.
I think some of the parents would be VERY surprised to learn their boys did this in school.
I know at least one of the boys went on to be a regular guy. Every so often I see him, his wife, and kids, and I wonder if he remembers what he put me through. He seems to be a good husband and father, and I hope he is. That would redeem him in my eyes.
The thing about Christian school parents (at least in my experience and time period) is that many of then were hoodwinked by their kids as to what really went on at school. Truth is, only the kids really knows what goes on, you know?
Not my parents, though. They didn't believe it could be as bad as "all that." I think they were just innocent and naive, and it was easier to hope I was just making it up than that it was actually happening.
Another cousin of mine (a boy) was bullied as well, and the two of us really connected over the issue. When I found out, it was such a relief to learn bullying DID happen to other people. For a long time, I really did think it was just me!
I haven't read them yet, but will, one at a time to see it my life is anything like yours was.
Christian schools are the worst for it, I think, because of the parents naivette. They think "I am paying all this money for Christian school all the kids must be Christlike." yeah right. Teachers just look the other way too.
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