Bullying is a problem. BULLY, a Weinstein Company movie, is a look inside how people are coming together to raise awareness and help change peoples' approach to bullying. Unfortunately, over 5 million American kids will be bullied this year. Some will figure out a way to cope with it, while others might not. Needless to say, adults should not resist or be in denial of trying to resolve any bullying situation.
Not to change the subject, but we've all heard the phrase, "Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me." I don't agree with this. What you say and what you do, will make someone feel a certain way. Eventually, people will forget what you did or said, but they never forget how you made them feel. Here is a short story I learned at the Eternal Warrior Wrestling Camp that we can all learn from:
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day, the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.
Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered 'it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.' Finally, the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw in out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry. The wound is still there."
A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Friends and family are a very rare jewel indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.
Bullying works in the same way. The scars left after the nails have been pulled out are permanent. How will you deal with bullying? Please feel free to call if you need someone to talk about this issue: 916-595-4064
Eliot Kelly
"Bullying is a problem we need to do something about."
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