Do
you ever go to lunch with no one by your side?
Cause
the moment you arrive they leave the table
Calling
me everything but my name
Need
I remind you again just call me Rachel
How
would you feel if you’re running home crying
Lock
yourself in your room; don’t want anyone to see ya
While
everyone’s having fun outside, and you’re telling yourself
I
won’t let it get to me no more
I
don’t wanna feel this way
I
can’t believe I let it go so far
No
no, it’s not okay
What
do you know about me?
Do
you wanna know what I think?
Mean
girls, mean girls
I’m
a just comb you outta my curls
‘Mean
girls, mean girls
You
no longer rule my world...
From the
moment I saw this video I knew I had fallen in love with Rachel Crow’s song
‘Mean Girls’. If you haven’t seen or heard it yet, then you should. The story
behind it, sad but true, can cause anyone to stop, listen and reflect. Crow
displays a situation that is prevalent in today’s society- bullying. But what I
love most of all was the strength she showed, that indifferent attitude that
says, ‘I’m no underdog!’ She presents the repercussions of oppressors who
stimulate the feeling of insecurity and lack of self confidence in any targeted
individual.
At some point in your life you were
laughed at, made to feel like the fool, someone made you cry, you were that
‘girl’ who couldn’t afford the latest
fashion, the fat one, the ‘zit-faced guy’ people scorned. My burning question,
‘Why do WE make other people’s lives miserable?’ Yes, we. Every one of us has
contributed some way or the other to cause hurt and pain. We gossip and spread
rumors as a natural part of life, not thinking of the wounds we might inflict.
Think about it, haven’t you ever laughed at others who erred? Or partook in actions
that you know would make someone uncomfortable just for the fun of it. *light
bulb* Remember now?
As human beings, we all look for
acceptance. And it is because of this we’re all obsessed with our physical
appearance. We stand in front of the mirror for hours, complaining that we’re
too fat, or too ugly. We want to know why God made us this way. Why couldn’t we
have been someone else? My dear friends, we are to blame. The crazy standards
we set in this era have made everything complicated. Who says a model couldn’t
be more than 110lbs? Who says you have to wear the flashiest thing to a party? The
‘image’ we created about a certain thing or look, or the way to do something
has caused many a tear. Penalties are faced if an individual does not meet
these ‘requirements’, and no, I don’t mean getting fined or sent to face the
judge. By penalties I mean people being shunned and made fun of, the prey for
‘mean predators’ to torment. And in most cases for teens, it results in
depression, loneliness and a feeling that they’re not worth it. We are the ones
who contribute to driving people to this stage, even forming suicidal thoughts
in their minds. Yes, of course, everyone has a mind of their own but we must
remember that the environment in a way, influences a person’s actions and
therefore we must take part of the blame.
It’s simple. If we do not like people
treating us that way, why do it to others? You Tube has millions of videos with
boys and girls who use it as a way to express themselves and share with the world
how bullying affects them. Recently on ‘Dr. Sanjay Gupta’ a 14yr old girl did
surgery to fix her face because she was being laughed at in school. We need to
take a stand. We need to say its okay. It’s okay to be different. It is
important for us to stop complaining about the things we DON’T have, and start
appreciating the things we DO have. Open your eyes and look at yourself at a
different angle. There are people out there who have no hands, no feet, people
who are paralyzed or bedridden, people who are dying of AIDS, people who have
no hair as a result of chemotherapy, people in Africa and India and other parts
of the world who are suffering from poverty and hunger, people who’ve never
seen a computer before, people who’ve never had the liberty of an education.
Let us now wake up each day, look at
ourselves and say, ‘I’m beautiful’... ‘I’m unique!’ You may not look like a hot
model, but take a closer look at the assets that you have and start
appreciating you for who you are. There is only one you. Let’s stop deifying
someone we feel has everything we could want. If God made us all in His image,
aren’t we then special in our own way? Most importantly too, is what kind of
individual we are inside. It is better for us to have a beautiful soul that shows
qualities of kindness and compassion, one that is always ready to reach out and
lend a helping hand. Identify your short comings, and bit by bit it can be
carved away, allowing you to bloom in all God’s glory.
*A special thank you to Gloria Chin who, even
though she is the typical 'busy' mom, took the time to review my work <3
