I was outside playing a game with my cousins today. I am the perpetual kid at heart. There was this group of kids, maybe about 15 years old or so, walking past us. At first I thought nothing of it. they were typical kids, laughing, talking, flirting with each other (hopefully they were not related, euuuww). Then I saw something that broke my heart. Trailing behind them was another kid, their age, but most definitely unwanted. He was a little heavier than the other kids and they were walking WAY too fast for him. When he was almost caught up they would take off running.

The boy eventually gave up and continued to let the others get farther and farther ahead. As I watched them walk down the road I couldn't help but wonder when people learn how to hate. How does that get onto our modes of acceptable behavior list? It happens to everyone. I understand that everyone has different personalities and that some of those personalities don't mesh well with others. But when did being impolite, uncaring, and downright mean get to be ok? I've been thinking about how this boy, who looked like a sweetheart was deemed unworthy by the others.

I should have said something. I should have DONE something. I couldn't help wishing for revenge for that poor kid. I hope that someday he will be faced with excluding someone out of his group. . .and that he'll welcome that person with open arms. Maybe the intolerance of those other children he was with will make him a better person, will make him think about all of the times he was judged based on what he looked like, rather than who he was.

There is a quote that I read once that comes to mind as I write this: "The human spirit is stronger than anything that happens to it." Hopefully it can even withstand the rejection of those far less enlightened than they should be. . .and old enough to know better.

Love,
Supersteph