Yesterday, my wife and I went to see our daughter perform with her choir. She has been a member of the choir for nearly 4 years, and she loves singing and being with her friends. Last night was made even more special as they were being accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, who are without doubt one of the best in the world.
It is occasions such as these that make me even more proud of my daughter and her amazing gift of singing. She has had a lot to go through as you might have read in my previous posts, but she has always been kind and generous to others. It is one of the qualities I love about her, as rudeness and bad behaviour are two of my pet hates. They are pet hates that have cause not just a little conflict in the past, especially in recent months.
For me, the subject of bullying and intimidation is clear, it isn’t acceptable, and I can’t see any circumstance where it would be. Whether it’s bulling at my daughters school, or somewhere I frequent, the expectations from me are the same, that I don’t like to see others being bullied or belittled. It has even led me to speak to teachers in my daughters playground when I have seen it happening.
Over the past year, my wife and I have developed many good friendships with the people that go to our church. However, some events have caused me to question the important things in my life and what I am prepared to put up with. It has also reaffirmed other things that I feel I am right to hold dear. There is no need for details, but I was both shocked and surprised to find people I thought I knew, getting involved in bullying and intimidation. Not only that, but I also felt disappointed at those whose job it was to stamp it out, not doing enough.
I has led to a friend of ours leaving their role and also feeling vulnerable and questioning their own self worth. That is the worst part of this whole episode, and it will take time for them to recover from this treatment. All we could do was support and listen to them, and try to get those that needed to know, told. It led me to rethink my values and where I think my time should be spent. Was I right to feel so upset by this treatment of our friend? Was I making too much if it? Should I volunteer my time to a cause that allows this? My answer to myself was that I was right to feel upset and that any organisation that allowed this to go on was not one I wanted to be a part of.
For me it was fundamental, no matter how good or bad someone is at their job. No matter whether you agree with their views or not, nothing can condone bullying, or the acceptance of bullying by anyone. It is also important that it is called what it is, this isn’t a difference of opinion, or a little disagreement. These are often used as a way to circumvent the messy business of admitting the truth, especially if it means having to admit it’s happening.
It is important that everyone holds their values high and puts their family and their own beliefs before those that don’t care, or choose not to.
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