But then we grow up and the bullies start running when they see me.
I am white, but I was poor and was forever being bumped around and teased.
"You are so ugly and that's why your father ran away" was a familiar tune and many other tunes by the "better" classes.
A feared colored guy (gangster) became my protector and he convinced my mom to sign me up for amateur boxing. Stayed there for 12 years and was constantly surprised at my successes. (Ambidextrous and could box both left and right stance) which confused many opponents.
Funny thing is my eldest daughter is right handed, my son is ambidextrous, (strikes with both feet in football) and my youngest daughter is left handed. But I digress.
Color was always an issue, but lately things are starting to open up, simply because children are becoming more open minded. Bullies however there will always be and the bad ones are the isolated ones. In a crowd, go for the one with loudest vile mouth and take him out, then the crowd suddenly disperses.
Just some personal experiences and glad you have elected to take the positives out of your own nasty experiences.
Take care!
There will always be bullies and when all are gone, the next generation are waiting to be born. I think that part of the benefit of them is understanding how community can overcome minority aggression, even of the worst kind if they decide to.
Would love to put a bag up in the basement, not that I am much of a boxer, but it is one of the best exercises there is. :)
Yeah, we can only hope that bullying will not find a home in the next generation. I Africa that will be nigh impossible. The guys kill their wives over here in front of their children and trauma is rife.
That's why we run the free trauma training project for child workers.
Good idea about the bag. My youngest daughter is in some form of modern boxing training, not for boxing as it is fitness classes. She says it is called exercise boxing. Never watched it, but I suppose it is some sort of shadow boxing.
It is a hard road for a child to come back from. "Parents" have a lot to answer for in many ways.
Then of course there are also "missing" parents my friend.
5 kids left with a granny to raise. Many child headed households also over here.
Of course not to speak about the thousands of orphans.
Yep, it is a sad state of affairs and speaks of one of the legacies left by poverty
Poverty resulting mainly from apartheid my friend.
It will take generations to sort this country out with its mega problems!
I wonder how much poverty in the world actually exists because there is no other way - I suspect, zero.