Bully say what?

I'm on a rant.  I'm on a soapbox.  It's gonna get nasty up in here...

There was a story on the news lately of an older lady that has worked her whole life, drove school buses and is now a school bus monitor. A bunch of mean, nasty kids ganged up on her and bullied her and said cruel, hateful things to her.  And she sat there and tried to defend herself and cried.  And the kids mocked her more.  It was heartbreaking.  Absolutely heartbreaking. 

Children are a product of their environment.  When children learn racism, disrespect, laziness, entitlement...when they are taught to gossip and be rude and crude, to talk about other people, people on the other end of their meanness are affected.  Damaged people who are unhappy with themselves and feel it necessary to share their misery bully others.  If you can keep your heart out of it and wipe the tears away enough to clear your mind, you can reason away why people are so hateful.  Easier said than done when it comes to matters of the heart.

Someone set up a fund for that sweet lady to try to get some $$ for her to go on a dream vacation.  He hoped to get $5000.  That precious lady who was so mentally beat down has a fund, in her name, for over $600,000.  WOW! 

It spoke to people.  It gets them where it hurts because it hurts.  Who hasn't been bullied?  Who hasn't been beat up?  Who hasn't had hateful, mean things said about them or to them?  I remember a guy in 7th grade who used to say the meanest things to me.  I never let him see me cry but he certainly made me cry.  He was mean.  And now he's gross.  Ha, karma bit him in the butt.  He facebook requested me multiple times and he's grown to be quite the sad man.  I digress.

Brush it off, sticks and stones, blah blah blah.  But it doesn't always work that way .  It's not that easy when you are getting beat up.  Or when you are on the receiving end of being bullied.  Or having people mistreat you.  People are going to lie.  They are going to cheat and they are going to steal.  If you aren't dealing with an ethical person who holds themselves to a high standard then you will never be able to fairly battle with them.  Because short term they will win.  Long term they won't.  In life, in love, in general. 

I wanna punch some people here lately.  But vengeance isn't mine.  Much as I want it to be.  I won't lower myself to who they are.  I haven't gotten to where I am, I'm not who I am, by lying, cheating and stealing.  I certainly won't start now.

I heard yesterday that it takes something like 100 "atta boys" to negate a negative comment.  I many times catch myself having an inner dialogue and the conversation is between voices of mean people who have said hateful, untrue things about me.  I know they aren't true, I know they don't know me, but it still affects me.  I'm 33 and remember hurt feelings from 7th grade.  How many times do I have to say this, be kind people!! Stop hurting other people!!  Golden Rule anyone?  And for goodness sake, if you have children you have influence over, step up to that responsibility and be a better role model!

God gives me the strength to keep my head, heels and standards high as I walk through the ugliness of this world.  Because there is also a really beautiful side to this world and much as Satan is trying to get me to see the ugly and only that, God is showing me rainbows and butterflies and roses.  Today I'll cling to that.  And promise not to throw any punches.  If for no other reason than to not break a nail.

Stepping off the soapbox now and have a great day!