The uncomfortable truth about adult bullying
Some of my most painful memories are from high school. In 11th grade, a popular girl in my class took a strong dislike to me. She may have been jealous of me, and I later learned that her family was going through severe challenges at the time. Whatever the reason, I became her target. Her personality was strong and overbearing, while I was gentle and timid. I’m still not exactly sure why she tortured me, but she turned my life into a nightmare.
Any of the positive aspects of high school — the vibrant lessons, friendships, yearly concerts, and extracurricular activities — were overshadowed by her constant torment. She spread nasty rumors, turning my classmates against me. When I walked in with a new Michelle watch (a special gift from my grandmother), she rolled her eyes and told everyone, “It’s a fake from China. I can tell in a second.” (I was too embarrassed to ever wear it again.) She dumped garbage near my desk and loudly berated me for being a slob. There wasn’t much I could do about it, but I cried out to Hashem from the depths of my being. I didn’t even know what to ask Him for, because it was hard to dream of a brighter future in the midst of the bullying. At that point, I couldn’t see any feasible way out. Nonetheless, my wordless prayers shook my being.
With Hashem’s infinite mercy, He answered my prayers. After graduating, I was so shattered that it was hard to take initiative in my job search. But He put me in the right place at the right time, and I began as a low-level secretary in a real estate firm. My confidence was shot; I didn’t believe I could do more than data entry. But my boss recognized my strengths and talents, and her genuine belief in me saved my life. Success breeds success, and within years, I rose through the ranks of the company. I became a different person. My torturous high school years were still a part of me, but they didn’t define me anymore. I thought I could put the difficult years behind me, until I recognized that bullies were still alive and well in the adult world.
