in high school?
You know! Everyone had a "label" in high school. What was yours? Don't worry...I'm about to tell you mine. I am many years out of high school now so it doesn't matter anymore. Right?
Wait.
Are you at all remotely like me? Does the thought of high school still send you into a cold sweat? Are you one of those people who avoid reunions at ALL costs?
I was the "wannabe" in high school. I wanted so badly to fit in with the "popular" people. Of course, I never did. I went to a small school (K3-12th had about 180 students total) and, no matter how hard I tried, I was always an outsider. I can clearly remember that, in high school I thought I was a whale. Of course, it didn't help that I got that impression from other students. Looking back, I can't believe that I ever thought that, especially in light of the fact that the person who I thought was my closest friend was actually a little "larger" than I was.
Sigh. Why are we so mean to each other when we are young?
Except.
Does it ever end? I know of adults who are just as mean (or meaner) as teenagers. Sometimes it's worse with adults because they can be way sneaker about their meaness then teenagers. Why are we like that to each other?
I find myself telling students over and over that there is no reason why they can't be nice to each other. You don't have to be "BFF" with everyone but you also don't have to be hateful. Yet, how often is it that adults don't practice what they preach?
How often is it that our workplaces are filled with adults who constantly gossip about each other; only looking out for "number one"? Why do we model the same behavior that we tell our young to avoid? Talk about being hypocrites.
Why do we allow our young to watch shows on TV that glorify gossip, backbiting, backstabbing, etc.? Why do we watch it ourselves? Why do we glory in the suffering of others? Why do we put others down to make ourselves seem better?
Christians are taught to "be kind to one another"; even the unsaved claim to follow the "Golden Rule." Taught. Claim to. Hmmmm. I wonder.
I wonder what this world or even this country would be like if we all practiced what we preached in this area. What would our workplaces be like? In this age of "bullying", what would our schools be like if we follwed the "Golden Rule"?
I wonder.
I promise a much lighter post tomorrow. Right now, my heart is heavy for my young people. Not only do they grow up to fast, but there are precious few good role models for them anymore. Sometimes I wonder if we are fighting a losing battle.
I am determined to go down fighting. They mean too much to me to just give up.
High school...mhehhhh...something that we all have to endure. No matter what we were and went through, we, you, have over come. **I will put in a plug here about how AWSOME I think some certain "wannabe" is!** I feel sad for the people that I 'visited' (no put up with for a short time...yes I left very early) with at my -ahem- 20 year reunion...it was just like high school only we were older. Some (most in this case) people never change and very very few realize that there is another world out there other than the little one that they choose to live in. I will say I will not ever go back to another class reunion...waiste of time for me!
ReplyDeleteIt is very sad that some bring high school with them into adulthood. If peopoe would actually just do something as simple as be nice and kind to others and teach their children to do the same it would be a very better world...sadly most don't. I am with you BFF I will go down fighting too!