In seventh grade a kid lifted me several feet in the air by my underwear. I did not enjoy it.

The thing to think about is how much mental space I give it. At the time, I was hurt and ashamed. I felt humiliated for several days, if not weeks afterwards. At some point I stopped thinking about it though.

Imagine if that one experience made me focus on bullies for the rest of my life. What if I had allowed that shame to grow into anger? Number one, I would most definitely not be writing the things I am writing today. Plus, I would probably be constantly afraid, and on the lookout for “bully” behavior in those around me.

By accepting that it happened, I can move on. I can share my story with you without shame. I can make us more connected because maybe someone bullied you when you were younger. By letting it go, I can release all that fear. By understanding that kids can be dumb and mean, I can remove a lot of the anger. I would bet the person who did it doesn’t even remember. If I let that bully live in my brain, then they are still bullying me, only I am making it happen.

~Ryan Lynch

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