WHEN THE WORLD TURNS BACK ON YOU

A. CIRCUMSTANCES

Tom, a bully always picks on the weak. He never listens to his parents. His parents decided to transfer him to a school where he couldn’t go rampant. But will his aggressive nature calm down at a new school?

B. STORY RESOLUTION

Tom smirks as he enters his new school. New environment, new weak students, new bullies. He couldn’t wait for another victim.  As he strode towards his classroom, he spotted a girl wearing glasses looking down on her books. Tom smirks. He found his new victim to bully. 

As soon as class started, Tom looked at his surroundings. There were all kinds of students. A jock, the cheerleader, the nerd girl he saw earlier, the popular group of students, the silent group and the naughty ones. Tom was puzzled. Why didn’t anybody pick at the nerd girl? In his old school, everybody would pick the nerds until they cry. Then he decided. He would make a change at this school! He would bully the weak here and be the king at this school!

Some students approached Tom and made friends with him. Tom felt that they were his match so he didn’t bully them. He made new friends immediately. 

“Hey, why don’t you guys bully that girl?” Tom asked his new friends and pointed at the nerd girl. His new friends looked at one another. 

They were about to answer Tom’s question when the teacher arrived at the classroom. The teacher let Tom introduce himself and then let him sit down at the vacant chair. 

Although out of the class, Tom was eyeing the nerd girl. She was scribbling something in her notebook and occasionally smiling to herself. Being a thirteen year old bully, this behavior triggered the bullying ideas of Tom. 

The class ended, it was time for lunch. Tom went out with his new friends towards the cafeteria. They were laughing and enjoying their lunch when Tom saw the nerd girl entering the cafeteria on her own while hugging a notebook. Tom grinned. 

He looked at his newly found friends and said, “look at what I’m gonna do guys. It’ll be fun.”  His new friends were puzzled but nevertheless, stayed silent and watched his actions. 

The nerd girl sat on a corner. She didn’t order anything from the counter and just directly sat on the table. She once again scribbled something on her notebook. Nobody was paying attention to her. 

Tom sneakily went behind her back. Then suddenly, he grabbed the notebook from the girl and raised his hand so that the girl couldn’t get her notebook. 

The girl shouted in surprise. All the students in the cafeteria looked at the two. Tom smirked.

“Haha! I have your notebook. Whatcha gonna do?” He said teasingly.

“Give! Give!” The girl desperately reached out her hands to get her notebook but Tom was a head taller than her. 

Tom opened the notebook and saw unreadable texts in it. He laughed loudly. 

“What, you can’t write? How old are you? My God, are you stupid?” Tom said laughingly. Whispers started to circulate in the entire cafeteria. 

The nerd girl started to cry. 

“Awe, the stupid started to cry. What a crybaby.” Tom teased and took out his tongue. 

Tom’s friends stood up. “Stop it, Tom!”

Tom looked at his friends, “why? Isn’t it fun to see another cry? And look, she’s so stupid all she could do is cry and scribble.” And Tom smirked. 

The girl’s cry started to get louder and louder. 

“Stop bullying her!” Someone from the other groups said. 

With a ‘heh’, Tom said, “what are you gonna do if I don’t stop?” 

“How cold are you? A mere transferee started bullying a girl on his first day!” A senior student said.

The cries of the nerd girl was heard by the teachers, so the teachers immediately went in the cafeteria. They saw the scenario by themselves. And one of the teachers who came was Tom’s homeroom teacher. 

“What happened to Danielle?” A teacher asked. Another teacher calmed Danielle. 

A student immediately reported to the teacher about what happened. 

“Who’s Tom?” 

Tom raised his hand. He felt that he didn’t need to be felt threatened. So he wasn’t nervous. 

The teacher was serious. “Come with me to the office. Miss Garcia, please call Danielle’s parents.” 

Tom looked at his friends with a smirk but his newly found friends were frowning at him. They turned around and continued eating. Tom was surprised by their behavior. Didn’t they enjoy what happened? 

Once the teacher and Tom were in the office, Tom was immediately scolded by the teacher. But Tom had a poker face. 

 

“So what if I bullied her? It’s not like I can traumatize her. Psh.” 

The teacher was about to say something when a man and a woman entered the office. They were both wearing business clothes. They looked noble. 

“Mr and Mrs Lee please sit down.” the teacher calmly said.

“I thought this wouldn’t happen to my daughter again, Mr Stephan.” the man said. Tom’s heart was beating fast. This was the nerd girl’s parents? 

The teacher bowed slightly as if apologizing. “I am so sorry Mr. lee. It’s a new student that bullied Danielle. I am about to explain her situation to him right now.” 

“Go and explain. I will sue this boy for bullying my daughter. Just let his parents talk with my lawyer.” With a ‘whoosh’, Mrs Lee turned around and left. Only Mr. Lee was in the office.

“We will wait for his public apology.” then Mr. Lee also left, following his wife. 

The teacher looked at Tom. 

“Boy, you probably don’t know but Danielle has Autism and Dyslexia. Her parents carefully placed her here in this school as to protect her from being bullied. She can’t read. She also has a traumatic past about being bullied. And you just triggered her trauma.” the teacher sighed. Tom felt guilty. “Go and tell your parents about the public apology or else your family will be dragged down by you. Mr. and Mrs. Lee is one of the leading businessmen in the industry and probably they won’t let you off.” 

Tom went home trying to escape what he had done in the school. How should he explain this to his parents? He decided he wouldn’t say anything to his parents.

The next day, all Tom could see are the glares from his schoolmates. They haven’t forgotten what he had done yesterday. 

When class was going on, Tom’s parents called the school. Apparently, a warrant of arrest came in stating that Tom should be invited into the precinct. Tom’s parents were fired by their employers and they were sent to the streets. Now Tom really regretted what he had done. 

 

REALIZATION

Life oftentimes is unfair. It might not always be in our favor. Worst,  could drag anyone down into the helpless ground unnoticed. After all, life recompense like the saying that goes “What you give to the world is what you receive from the world.” 

 

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WHEN SOMEONE NEARLY BROKE HER HEART

A. CIRCUMSTANCES

Berated, laughed at, bullied and thrown away by the people around her. Bertha who had a huge birthmark on her face faced humiliation all her life. Her parents didn’t took notice of her everyday life. So, she lived like a clown. At school, she is always  alone because no one would make friends with her.

B. STORY  RESOLUTION

“Look, its Bertha the half. Haha.”

“I bet she still  with Andrew.”

“Like, eww. Does she still think Andrew likes her?”

“Of course not! Everyone knows Andrew just used her for school projects.”

Bertha lowered her head. Yes, she knew that Andrew, her boyfriend, is just using her. But what can she do? Only Andrew took notice of her even if it’s just using her. 

Bertha walked towards the school’s soccer field, where Andrew was practising soccer for a tournament in the upcoming month. She saw Andrew. She smiled lightly and was about to walk up to him when the cheerleader approached Andrew and planted a kiss on his lips. Bertha froze on the spot. Why? She thought. Why did she needed to be so ugly? Just why?! Tears started to stream down her face. She turned around, walking briskly towards the school gate. She wanted to go home. 

Wiping the snot and tears away from her face, she bumped into a person. Bertha fell on the ground but she did not looked up. Tears were still spilling from her eyes. 

“I am so sorry, miss! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Let me check.” The person was genuinely concerned about Bertha. But all she could hear is the disdain brewing inside her head. 

“Please… Just leave me alone…” Her voice was like an angel descended from heaven. And at that moment, the person felt like he needed to help this helpless girl. 

He offered his hand towards Bertha. She was surprised, and she unconsciously looked up. The person was smiling to her. 

“Come on now. Get up, it’s dirty on the floor. A person as pretty as you shouldn’t be crouching like that.” The person said. Bertha was dumbfounded. She? Pretty? Did she heard it correctly? 

“I’m sorry. You must be mistaken. Im ugly. I do not deserve to be praised.” She said in a low voice. 

The person was still smiling. “No matter how big your birthmark is, or how ugly you feel you are, remember, there is always a person who could appreciate your beauty. No matter the race, or how many freckles you have in your face, or how fat you are, somebody will appreciate you.”

As if in a daze, Bertha unconsciously teared up. But she held her tears up. Yes! She shouldn’t be insecure! She’s a beauty. A one of a kind at that. 

The very next day, Bertha didn’t hung her head low. Now, she walked full of confidence. Those who looked down on her, showed a surprised face but still berated her. But that person’s words filled Bertha’s heart. She would be insecure, yes that wouldn’t go away but by remembering that someone has finally acknowledged her, her confidence would shot up. 

And as for that boyfriend of hers, he didn’t deserve her. A man using a girl is as good as a trash.

REALIZATION OF THE STORY

As Bertha thought back at those miserable days where she was in her miserable state, she realized was not how it seemed. Her life must go on. She should enjoy her life, and think positively. Remove all the negative thoughts and do not think about how others think about you. 

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MATTHEW 10: 37-42 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (June 28, 2020)

 

Whoever loves father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me. And whoever loves son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.  And whoever does not take up his cross and follow me, is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life. for my  sake, will find it.

Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes him who sent me. The one who welcomes a prophet, as a prophet, will receive the reward of a prophet; the one who welcomes a just man, because he is a just man; will receive the reward of a just man. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, because he is my disciple, O assures you, he will not go unrewarded.

POINTS OF REFLECTION

This Bible reading showed us that life could in two options. These options could be an earthly life or life in heaven.

Verses 37-39 (1st paragraph) warn us that choosing a life in the light of this world would not lead us any further beyond this life. It falls on the saying that goes “ones soul’s belong where one’s heart belong.” Meaning, life would be in great trouble if we fixed our eyes on this world alone for this world has nothing to offer but temporal life.

Verses 40-42 (2nd paragraph) encourage us to offer our everything to God for a reward will be kept in heaven for us beyond this life. Keeping sight off from oneself is like searching for life unto Jesus. Offering our whole self to him is sharing our lives to others in their struggles with Jesus.

Remember, brothers and sisters life is not better off from Jesus. Heap of rewards  are in heaven in exchange of  doing good  to the least of our fellow.

PRAYER

Lord, let me give of myself completely to you and to the people I love and serve.  Let me not count the cost for loving you and your people for by doing, is reward in itself.

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