STORY ONE- This story isn't really about me, it's about my cousin (Cousin). He's had this stutter ever since I can remember but we're pretty used to it. Well, apparently the kids at his school are not.

I think that his bullying started in the first grade for him. Kids were always teasing him about his stutter and how he had speech lessons. It continues to this day, unfortunately, but it's gotten a bit better. He's in second grade now. Please pray for his overcoming of bullying.

STORY TWO- Okay, this one is really about me. It's not exactly bullying, but then again, it's not exactly not. In third grade, they started to tell who the "popular girls" were. Most of them were in my class. I wanted SO BAD to be their friends and be popular. The thing is, every time I wanted to play with them or do something with them, they excluded me. It was pretty annoying and I was sad. I pretty much sacrificed who I was to be like them.

But a little later in the year, I realized something. You've gotta be the REAL YOU. It shouldn't matter if you're "popular" or not, because you're in charge of you. IGNORE the bullies. Stand up, stand out.

Now I'm in the seventh grade and couldn't be happier. Middle school gave me lots of new and old friends. Two of the formerly popular third graders (one played school softball with me, the other in most of my classes) and I have been pretty friendly which is awesome.

So the thing that you should take away from this is to STAND UP and STAND OUT.

xoxo,

@meridathecourageous (wattpad)

ADVICE: STAND UP to the bullies.

STAND OUT in your own way to the world.