To the kid who teased me when I was in kindergarten:

Thank you. Thank you for teasing me about how small my eyes are, and the fact that I wear glasses. Thank you for picking on me even though I was five and you were definitely in 8th grade. I, partially, thank you for the backbone I have.

This individual teased me about my eyes (size and the fact that I wear glasses) on the playground for what seemed lik weeks. I would come home and tell my parents, my dad would tell me that I have a right to do something about it. They definitely wanted me to respond to this individual. Obviously this was just a kid who was being a brat to be a brat. There was nothing dangerous happening, but it was an opportunity for me to learn how to stand up for myself, and I did. The funny part was how I did it.

One Fall morning I was waiting on the playground for the bell to ring and I vividly remember this boy coming up to me and calling me the most cliché of names, 'four-eyes'. I had had enough. This all happened around the time that a song titled 'Don't Laugh at Me' by Mark Wills was popular. It's a great song, I fully recommend listening to it, even if you don't like country music. Anyway, in response to this boy running up to me and teasing me AGAIN, I began singing the chorus of that song! "Don't laugh at me, don't call me names, don't get your pleasure from my pain. In God's eyes we're all the same, someday we'll all have perfect wings. Don't laugh at me." (Surprise, I'm a music nerd).

Suffice to say, this kid was STUNNED! I'm sure he'd had people respond to his bullying before, but this was probably the first time someone sang to him to get him to stop. It worked though, he never bothered me again.

I think I was teased or made fun of, and was definitely judged throughout elementary school, middle school and high school. Some I knew about, and they hurt. Some of those insecurities I still carry around with me. I think what I realize looking back on my five year-old self though, is the ridiculousness of what will be said about you in life.

The last 'rumor' I had spread around about me (and I'm positive it was the first since 6th grade) was when I was a senior in high school. When I found out about it, I laughed. I legitimately laughed out loud. People talk about you behind your back when they have nothing else to do. They want a reaction, I gave them one, but it wasn't what they were looking for.

I'm glad my parents gave me the opportunity to stand up for myself. I know that bullying is a completely different ball game now, and it has the capacity to become much more dangerous. However, if I have kids I really want them to be able to stand up for themselves. A parent can't always fight their battles for them. There is also an empowerment that comes from conquering something difficult, and kids need to know that feeling.

So thank you, 8th grader for picking on me. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to stand up for myself, become empowered, and find humor in the following moments in my life that I was teased.