I was sitting on a gray, rubber bench on the basketball court at school. I was in first grade. It was recess time. I had just got through running around in the big, grassy field with my friends. A girl my age walked by me and smiled at me and then sat down next to me. That small gesture was the start of our friendship. Her name was Lily and she was so nice to me. She had long brown hair and deep-blue eyes. I thought she was very pretty, but others did not think the same. A lot of people were mean to her and picked on her because of her weight. A few other girls walked by us, pointing and laughing at Lily. I could see the pain in her eyes while she tried to ignore them. I knew exactly what she was feeling because I was bullied as well. I told her I would always be her friend no matter what.

I never understood why people bullied others. How could people make people feel that way and think it was funny? That it was okay? The very first time I got bullied was at my daycare when I was four years old. I cried when I got home that day. I have had people be mean to me before but this was much more worse. I never wanted to feel like that ever again. Little did I know I would continue to get bullied almost every year after that.

When I was in seventh grade, I became depressed. My mom found a therapist and I went to a session. I never went back. I just did not feel comfortable with her. I eventually got over my depression on my own. But then I started noticing other people my age dealing with depression as well. I want to help.

People get bullied for many reasons: their weight, ethnicity, style, if you like it the same sex, etc. It is really horrible how people think it is okay to hurt others. I just do not understand. It breaks my heart when I hear about people being bullied. I know what they are going through. Society makes everyone think they have to be skinny, they have to wear the right fashion, they have to be have flawless skin, and they have to have the same type of attitude as everyone else. They have to be perfect. Who is perfect? Absolutely no one. Every one of us has a flaw and that is what makes us unique. My idea of perfection is imperfection. I find beauty and everything, as should everybody. Before you bully others, ask yourself why? Why am I doing this? Will hurting others feelings make me feel better? As Lauren King once said, "There are two kinds of Perfect: the one you can never achieve, and the other, by just being yourself."