Go watch this video.

Fucking hell, we can be horrible to each other. We can be beautiful to each other, we can do amazing things, but we can be so willfully ignorant and cruel and so damn stupid. And what’s crazy is how much the people in these videos have grown, and changed, and made their lives better… and how many of the people who bullied them probably haven’t.

I can be an optimist and pretend that the bullies “got better” too: they grew up, matured, realized how poorly they had behaved, changed their ways, learned to accept those who were different. But I can’t bring myself to be that big of an optimist, because I see grownups acting this way every day, and I know they didn’t appear out of nowhere: they went to high school too.

Just remember, “it” doesn’t just get better by itself. You and I make it better. Sometimes that means that the people who bully you and call you names DON’T get better, though: they will still be there, still be full of hatred and bigotry and stupid, unfocused, irrational rage. They will still try to do everything they can to make you feel small, to take away your right to live the way you want, to make you unhappy.

But you will grow and get stronger instead, and you will have friends and relationships and love and you will find your focus and you will set your goals and you will live your life. You will fight for your rights, and you will GET THEM.

And leave the bullies, the small-minded bigots, the hypocrites behind. Because you know what? Fuck them.

Related articles

• It Gets Better Project
• What Should I Do If I’m Bullied? (education.com)