Life is too short to put up with mean people....

So, HATE is such a strong word to use on someone that has done nothing to you...other than share the same air. As I write this I am wondering why it is so difficult for people to stand up or come to the defense of a person who is being mistreated. Why do so many people just stand there and say nothing. It is really sad because I long for friends that are strong enough to do that for me, but what I find more often than not are people who are too scared to defend someone else. Maybe it's because they agree with the person bullying, or maybe they are just too insecure to stand up and say..."Don't say that." or ask "Why do you have to be so rude?". I really feel that if more people would make it known that being mean and rude is not ok, that less bullying would happen.

But, sadly...this is not the case.

Once again I was thrust into a vortex of mean people the other day. Not just mean people, but cowards too. It seems like there is always one person that decides I am their verbal punching bag for whatever reason. Probably because I can be outspoken at times and am not afraid to say things...most of the time. But, the difference between me and them is that I try my very hardest to not be hurtful or needlessly rude. What happened to manners?

I get that not everyone will always like you...I seriously do. You can ACT right? At least have the courtesy to use common manners. Yes.. It's possible, Friends. I act every day. Pretending I'm not bothered by the dirty looks. I don't understand why people make it a priority to make people sad. "I'm two feet away... I can hear you...Shut Up... Please"?  So you don't like me, I'm sorry. Can't you just ignore me? Why go out of your way to say or do something mean...if you give me a chance I'd probably be a really good friend to you...just sayin.

The other thing I hate is the rumor mill vendettas. I stood up for a kid that was being bullied because he was more feminine than the others. He was in drama and art and had zero desire to hang with the jocks, yet still people went out of their way to be mean. Then...as if being jerks to him wasn't enough they had to try to teach the people who were strong enough to say something a lesson by implying that anyone who defended this person was gay...or going to hell because God hates them. Seriously? What church do these supposed Christians go to?

If God hates me for showing kindness to another person, and speaking out against mean people then he isn't the same God that I studied and got to know in Bible school. God says all sin is equal. And last I checked he said to "Love one another".

“A new command I give you: Love one another, as I have loved you. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

But, keeping religion out of it...isn't it just all around easier to be nice. Isn't it better for your health not to hold on to anger? I think so. After all life is just too short to spend it being mean to others.

There are some really powerful books on the market right now that deal with the topic of bullying. One of them is "13 Reasons Why" by Jay Asher. This book is a heartbreaking story about a girl who did the unthinkable and killed herself due to the way her fellow classmates had treated her. In the book she leaves behind messages for the people who touched her life for better or worse and gives 13 reasons why she felt she had no other option. It is such a depressing book. If anything it really shows how much harm we do to others by being so self absorbed. If more people had reached out to the girl in the book, she would have realized that she had hope. Instead she died unaware and it is heartbreaking.

Wow. I didn't mean to get so preachy on this. It just really bothered me. I wish more people had the courage to be nice and kind. Standing up for others doesn't mean that you have to love everything about them, because well...that's impossible. It just shows others how strong you are. And, if more people stand up and do the right thing...there will be less hate.