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CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – As the new school year begins, I think back to David. My family had recently moved from Brooklyn to Connecticut. David and I were in 6th grade together.
He was incredibly fat. Looking back on it, I don’t think David ate his way to his weight. Through hindsight I’ve come to realize that he probably had a metabolism problem or some other health issue.
My classmates and I were cruel to David. He had no friends. At recess he’d sit around by himself. Our teasing was cruel and constant. Many times we brought him to tears. Back then teachers didn’t get involved in bullying situations. Let kids take care of it on their own was the thinking of the day.
I’m sure that David hated going to school, his classmates had turned each day into a living hell for him. None of us had the life skills to stand up for the kid who was different. My classmates and I should all be ashamed of ourselves.
And I think about David as a new school year starts today. If you’re a student and you’re listening this morning as you head back to class, here’s what I ask of you. Find one kid, an unpopular kid, maybe someone who is poor and doesn’t have nice things, or someone who is different or an outcast. Make friends with them. Invite them into your circle of friends. This is even more important if you are one of the popular kids, a jock or a cheerleader or a high-achiever.
Why should you do this? Because being kind to others is a life-skill. And one of the things school is supposed to teach us is how to get along with all different kinds of people. Being kind is one of the best traits – a gift that you can give to yourself.
I doubt that David is alive anymore. He’d be in his 50s now, and I’m not sure someone could carry that much heft for all those years. Or perhaps being exposed to cruelty from such a young age, he had less to live for.
I call for kindness at the start of the new school year because, students, years later as an adult I’d like to spare you the guilt of realizing that, back then, I wasn’t a very nice person.
Chris Conley
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