Anti-Bullying

Why are we here?

We come, broken:
Seeking confidence.
We come, empty:
Seeking strength.
We come, carrying heavy burdens:
Seeking rest.
We come, to the Sacred and one another:
Seeking love and acceptance.


We acknowledge that bullying stems from an imbalance of power. It is a deliberate intent to cause harm, physically and emotionally. Bullying can prevent people from reaching their full potential. We recognize that bullying affects everyone, through violence, intimidation, distress, and fear. It doesn't just end after school, but follows the bullied person through life. Knowing this truth to be tragic, and believing it to be preventable, we come together to build up our courage and hope, so we can eradicate bullying in all its forms. Let it be.


Song: High School Never Ends by Bowling For Soup


Naming Our Truth, Claiming Our Power

We are shaped by the love of the Sacred.
But sometimes, we forget.
Sometimes, our worries grab hold of us.
Sometimes, our fears change who we believe we are.
Our fears about fitting in or being left on the outside,
About not getting the job or being invited to the party,
Not having the "right" friends, not having any friends,
About being bullied.
Our worries about who we are:
Am I too fat? Too thin?
Am I ugly?
How's my hair?
Do I have too many zits? Too much hair? Too little?
Am I normal?
Do I make enough money?
Do I have the right education?
Do I have the right job?
Do I have the right clothes?
Will people like me?
Will they call me names?
Worries and fears swirl around us--
"Who's got the money? Who's got the honey? Who's kinda cute, and who's just a mess?"
--pulling us away from our precious selves, who we really are.
And sometimes, we remember:
We are made by the Divine.
We are shaped by the deepest of love.
And so we need not worry; we need not fear.
We are created by Love, to be creators of love.
Let it be.
(Adapted from a prayer by Anne Spice, Kyrsten Hafso, and Allison Rennie)


Silence


Affirmation

I am precious.
I am strong.
I am capable.
I am whole.
I am needed.
I am wanted.
I am creative.
I am confident.
I am human.
I am worthy.
I am loved.
I am what I am meant to be.


Silence


We seek to be people of acceptance, affirmation, and justice.
Believing that bullying is against these values,
And that all people have the right to live free from humiliation, harrassment, oppression, and abuse,
We will, we must, stand up, in courage, hope, and solidarity, against bullying.


"The world needs us: our ideas, our friendship, our very presence. The world is suffering and hurting right now. The world needs, now as never before, the voice of those who are learning how to live in hope in the midst of pain. It is important not only for ourselves but to the world that we hold onto the priceless treasure that is our life and that we find a way to live with hope in the midst of despair, with peace in the midst of struggle, with courage in the midst of fear."
(From Not All Violins: Spiritual Resources by Women with Disabilities and Chronic Illnesses by The Barb Wire Collective)


*****


Suggestions For Moving Forward 1) Google and read Amanda Palmer's 4-part blog on bullying, and the comments. Be prepared, this will take a long time, but it's definitely worth it.
2) Pink is the colour chosen for anti-bullying. Wear it often, and tell people why.
3) Learn more about how bullying affects people close to you by talking and listening.
4) Stand up whenever you see or suspect bullying.
5) Make sure your school or workplace has an enforceable anti-bullying policy. If yes, thank them. If no, do what it takes to get one.