It makes me cringe every time I hear someone make a rude comment about someones sexuality, their skin color, etc. No one has any right to judge, they have no idea where that person came from, what they have been through, or what they have encountered. I admit I am just as guilty of saying things about people. Whether it was about sexuality, skin color or whatever. whether I said it to fit in or just from what I had heard it was wrong and cruel either way. My eyes were never really opened to the cruelty of my words and the words of others until my junior year of high school. I had met this kid Juan in my american history class. He was very openly gay and did not care what people had to say about it...or at least it seemed that way. Him and I quickly became friends, he was the single most outgoing person I had ever met. He loved Selena and always had something positive to say. The more we hung out the more my friends would comment about the gay kid in history class, or that faggot or this that and the other. And it made me so sad to hear these things being said about my friend. Here was this person who was truly amazing and wanted nothing more than happiness for each and every one of his friends and people had only bad things to say about him because of his sexuality. The cruelty of it broke my heart. Juan and I stayed friends throughout high school and to this day. Even though we do not talk as much I thank him for being there for me no matter what.
As I continued through school, especially into college I saw a lot more. Even though a university may have been a more accepting crowd than high school it was still rough. I remember one night at an AGR gathering two of the girls in my sorority sat a group of us down and told us that they had been dating and loved each other. The most surprising thing to me was the fact that these girls thought that we would turn our backs on them and basically shun them for being lesbian. We were all sisters and we would have never turned our backs on them. I have to say my favorite moment with my sorority was at a meeting and we had these cards that we wrote to other sisters that we called emeralds. These cards had nice things written on them like "you're sweet I'm so glad we are sisters." and so on and so forth. Well I had wrote one in particular to basically all the girls and it was thanking them for reminding me of who I truly was and wanted to be and for helping me through the toughest time in my college career and never giving up on me. At the time I had broken up with someone and it got really ugly and I do not know what I would have done without the love and support from my sisters. So I read the card aloud and of course cried and thanked every one. Well after I sat down one of the girls Meagan stood up. I don't think she planned to but she did and thanked everyone for supporting her while she came out. And I remember in that moment was when we all felt like a family. We were all there for each other. We loved each other with and without our flaws, no matter who we loved or where we had strayed in the past. That is what life is about. Finding the people who make you happy. The people who make you want to be a better person.
While writing this I have decided to rid my life of all of the negativity, to surround myself with people who I love and who love me for who I am and who I can be. If I lose friends, or readers because of this post then oh well. At least you do not like me for who I truly am instead of liking me for someone I'm not. So I challenge all of you to rid your lives of the bad, the cruel, and the negativity and surround yourself with the ones you love and the ones who love you and the positive! Be the person that five year old you would be proud of and would look up to.
Here's a video that my sister, who is also a truly amazing and kindhearted person, just shared on Facebook. Watch it and think real hard. think about that person that person in your life that may just need some love and support. That kid in your class that no one sits by. Or that girl at work that no one invites to the parties. Sometimes even just a smile or a hello can make someones day.
No comments:
Post a Comment