Saturday, August 14, 2010

“Words Uplifting Or Tearing Down

Every time I hear these words… ‘You will amount to nothing’, I feel hurt. My friend’s mother shouted these words at her and it echoed in my ears. Everyday, we walked to and from school so I was waiting on her. Her mother looked through the window and told me to walk on. I didn’t want to leave, but respect for adults was playing on my mind, so I started walking. As I walked away, I heard the tongue lashing my friend was receiving from her mother. Every one who passed me that morning were commenting and laughing about it. I walked slowly hoping that she would come soon. When I turned around and saw her coming I stopped walking. The first thing she said to me was, “I hate her.”
I said, “No you don’t hate her.”
“Yes I do.”
“It is wrong to hate you mother. I think you just hate the things that she does.”
“Are you listening to what I am saying? I hate that woman I call mother. Mothers are supposed to uplift their children not tear them down, and my mother tear me down all the time.”
There was no getting through to her, so we walked to school in silence. During class she did not participate when the teacher called on her. I knew she was still hurting, so I stood up and told the teacher that she wasn’t feeling well. The teacher told me to shut up and sit down then she went on, “Speak when you are spoken to… answer when you are called.” I felt embarrassed… the class started laughing. The teacher went on to berate my friend. My friend sat quietly taking it all in until the teacher said, “You will amount to nothing.”
“Did you have a conversation with my mother? She always says that to me… The both of you may be right.”

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