Facing Tough Times

We all know that we will face tough times sometime in our lives. I believe the purpose is to make  us   stronger people. We  will be able  to overcome anything that comes our way.

The problem I have with the whole thing of facing these tough times it happens so often when we are growing up. I know in my case I had to start off with having a hearing problem caused by wax in my ears when I was four years old. My parents wondered why I was not talking like other kids. At the same age I spent six weeks in the hospital having been burned after having cooked an egg on the stove. In the hospital my brother Dick was my interpreter because the nurses could not under-stand what I was saying. I had to spend time with a speech therapist after the wax was taken out of my ears.

I did a lot of talking especially during my elementary years. Most of the teachers did not understand why and just sent me out in the hallway. I had a lot to make up for, and I felt like I was behind in so many ways.

The whole thing is that I know I was not the only kid going through problems like that. I wrote about a year ago concerning bullying, and I know others who had to deal with it as well as I had too.

I find it really sad these days to read about kids especially in middle school committing suicide over bullying. You would think someone do something about it. My experience with bullying is that I never felt right about talking about it. I may have been ashamed, or felt that no one would help me out. Many times I would cry myself to sleep at night. I never thought about suicide but wanted to know why God would allow me to live through it. Often I would say at night why God did you not take me when I was four years old when I was burned.

What I did in the end was fight back. I did not hurt those who tried to bully me but I let them know I could at any time. This happened during my ninth grade. It was the first year of high school. In Gig Harbor the high school was ninth through twelve grades. Not an easy year at all. I am sure they thought I was a bit crazy.

The whole thing was that I never told my parents or anyone else. I am sure some students knew but many did not know either. Years later I heard about other kids who were bullied as well. Most of them I had no idea.

My recommendation to parents is if your child is not talking and looks far off please talk to them even if they do not feel in doing so. If they are still not talking find someone who you know that they can speak too. It is very important for them to know that they are not alone, and the time will pass. It is hard to lose a child at any age before you but especially with suicide. They need to realize this time will pass.

Yes I am a stronger person now but I would have liked to gone through tough times at an older age than I did. I do not spend a lot of time dwelling on the past. I feel as though it was a different time.

I do have to admit I do go through dark times once in a while but I do know that I have a purpose in this life. Some of the purpose I am still trying to figure out. For me the most important thing in life is family, friends, and love.

I know that the next chapter in life will be even better than the last chapters. The best is yet to be written.