The Words of a Bully...Tiffany's Story

I remember I would wait for Olivia to turn the corner of the block we lived on.  Some days she would try to stall by not coming home her usual time.  That would just piss me off even more and increase my anger.  As soon as I saw her coming down the street, I could see in her eyes that she feared me.  Her eyes would instantly water with tears.  That would just fuel me more.  I would walk behind her kicking dirt at her heels or pulling her bag from her shoulders.  She wouldn't say anything to me but I could see the tears slide down her face.  I didn't care.   She would walk faster.  I would do all I could before she made it to her door.  I could see her trembling to put the key in.  I would yell to her that I would see her at the same time tomorrow.


Olivia never did anything to me.  She was a quiet girl, very pretty in her own way.  I just hated the fact that I would see her with her mother all the time.  My mom was never around.  I hated when I would see Olivia hand in hand with her mom.  I hated that her mother loved her so much to stay in her life but mine was no where to be found. Life is not fair.  I taunted Olivia because she had what I wanted. My bullying her was me filling a void that. It was my way of getting revenge because I was deserted, neglected and abandoned.  How dare someone else experience the love of a mother and I had not.

It was not until I went through my own journey of forgiveness that I understood why I responded to Olivia the way I did.  I was hurt.  People saw me as a monster.  Teachers disliked me.  Neighbors would roll their eyes and whisper about me when I walked past.  Yet no one ever really tried to understand my pain, my hurt.  I feel sorry for how I reacted to Olivia.  I am a whole woman now with a daughter of my own.  I would never want my child to be subject to the type of pain that I caused Olivia.  I would never want Olivia to be subject to the pain that I endured from abandonment.

Olivia, I am sorry for those years of torture.  I am sorry that I caused you discomfort and pain.  You never deserved the treatment that I gave you.  I cannot take any of those horrible things back., but I can offer you my deepest sincere apology.