Brighten Your Day

When kids like you and me go into high school, they're gonna ask us what our career path will be like. Like in elementary school, when they said, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Remember? Anyway, then kids like you and me say, "I'll be (Insert dream job here)" And we think our lives suddenly becomes a Disney movie where we sing bibbity, bobbity, boo and our dreams come true. At the same time, kids like you and me go into high school and are going to start firing up the category machine. Kids like you and me are fired into categories like, "Nerd." "Jock." "Moron." "Fat." "Gay."

And what we don't realize is, how can kids like you and me get our job... If we've already been labeled?

We have been tagged. Kids like you and me try to get that job but then they say "Get real," Because even the teachers have labeled kids like you and me. When I was in the 4th grade I already had a label. I still do. Kids like you and me around the world are receiving labels as I type this sentence. Kids like you and me are getting bullied as I type this sentence. And as you read this sentence I want you to think, "Will this change me? Will this stop bullying?" I hope so. But for now, my dreams are small. Compared to the world, this story is a germ. But to bullies, kids like you and me are germs. We can be washed down the drain in two seconds. People look at us like we spread diseases, giving no second thought on who we really want to be. I want to stop bullying. Kids like you and me need to stand up and fight for what's right. And kids like you and me must diminish the wrongdoing. When I was in elementary school, I wanted to study sharks. I still do.

But after the 2016 sightings in Ocean City and Florida, people tell me "Get real, big kid." But I don't know where or when to quit. I will stand up for shark slaughter, but I stand taller to stop bullying. We need to make a change. And it starts with this.