Elle's foster mom talks to her about the fact that sometimes people who are hurting or have low self esteems hurt others to try to lift themselves up. It doesn't sound logical, but humans don't always think with their heads and let emotions rule. I learned recently one of my favorite book warrior friends that I met on Instagram was suffering from the cruelty of others. She's young, so the children attacking her were just like Gina in my book. Unfortunately, there are no magical fairy-made shoes to help the mean girls see the errors in their way, so my friend is going to have to find the strength within to combat them. I know she can, because she is kind and has a great mom on her side. As an adult, you can teach children by example and instruction that it is always best to treat others the way you want to be treated. Words do hurt, they can leave lasting imprints, and they can be way more powerful than we understand. I talk about my own insecurities and self-image struggles in this blog. These issues didn't just spring up over night. They happened from years of listening to the wrong voices and influences. Adults should know better and need to make sure they aren't the cause of another's pain. The media is full of adults who don't get this based on their actions, but I believe there are many who do. Instagram is full of book nerds who let kindness rule their actions and I'm thankful for all of them. As a child or teen, you can set the example for your peers and choose not to join in with the taunts or cruel words. If you are the target of such nastiness, you need to try your hardest to let the words bounce off you, because those who are speaking the words have some deeper issues going on in their lives. They may be feeling just as low about themselves as they are trying to make you feel and they think making you feel worse will fix that. Maybe their cruel behavior is a result of what they were taught at home or perhaps their hearts are full of hate like Voldemort. Yes, I just used a Harry Potter reference, but who better than Harry to learn this lesson? He was put down by his aunt and uncle all the time. Then he was treated badly by Draco Malfoy and the target of the most evil wizard in the world. How did Harry overcome it all? Courage, friendship, and he didn't stoop to their level. Since we can't see inside the hearts of those who bad mouth others, we don't know why they act like Voldemort or Gina. That's when we need to find the courage to either ignore them or kill them with kindness. Does this fix all the wrongs in this world? No, as our favorite characters teach us, we can find a way to live with ourselves and others as we overcome the enemy. No one can be great at being you but you. That means we all have our own unique blend of something special that even the Voldemorts and Ginas of the world won't be able to imitate or understand unless they change their ways. They will either have to join us or be miserable without our wonderful lights in their lives. If you read Elle's Magical Shoes or Harry Potter, you'll find out what happened to Voldemort and Gina. Based on their choices, let's just say the one who chose the light had a better outcome than the one who didn't.
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Ramblings on life, travels, & books
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December 2023
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