The first day of school. The first day at a new job. The first day at someplace new can be hard on someone. They want to be accepted. They want things to go right. They don't want to worry about what others think of them. They go into the place looking forward to making new friends and meeting new people.

Someone gets to a new place feeling uncertain, but she begins to relax as she finds people who seem to like her and care. She begins to think she's found some friends.

Yet, it seems that she did something wrong, or was different in someone else's eyes and they take a dislike to her. Then they let her know by telling her that she is worthless or other such hateful words.

Not satisfied with just letting her know, the antagonizer goes to her peers and tells them all what's wrong the the new person. She tells them that it wouldn't be prudent to been seen hanging out with the new person.

Word gets around quickly, and soon others are whispering amongst themselves. The new person begins to notice how others avoid her and her tender self-confidence begins to dissipate.

The new person puts up a front of not really caring what the others think, perhaps she even believes it herself. It goes on like that for awhile. She hopes that perhaps they'll eventually like her.

Others continue to try and reach out towards the new person...

But they are scolded by others who don't care for the new person and are turned away.

The New person starts to break down after the constant badgering from her peers. No matter how much she just wanted to be friends with them, no one will accept her. Her self-confidence is broken.

She goes through various emotions from depression, to anger, to crying, to pleading to whomever to make things right....to give her a friend...to have the antagonizers leave her alone.

Hopefully someone will hear her. Perhaps someone will notice her. Maybe there is someone willing to help her.

He can then gently tell others how it's better to be nice and accepting of others. Perhaps they will listen to him. Maybe they'll see how the new person is hurting and in need of a friend.

Finally, someone gets the courage to not listen to the gossip and hateful words. Someone reaches out to the new person and let's her know that she's accepted.

With the example set by that someone, others find out that there was really nothing wrong with the person in the first place. They come around and begin to accept her as well.

Accepted. Her self-confidence is returning. She begins to smile again and look forward to being with others.

*Please note that the preceding was not the "official" story of Griazabella. I took liberty and creative writing there.

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Jellicles Against Hateful Words and Gossip

This short story turned out okay, but there are so many other situations caused by hateful words and gossip that turn out much worse. Kids killing kids, and others hitting others as a way to lash out at those hurting them. So much hurt can be prevented just by saying something nice instead of something mean about another person...or to another person. The hateful words and gossip has got to stop! Do you know someone in need of a friend? Do you know someone who is being harrassed? Be a friend to them. There's more power in love than in hate.

This is an issue close to my heart. If you feel the same way about this, please feel free to copy the above banner and put it on your own webpage. You can provide a link to this page as well if you want. The url is https://www.angelfire.com/ms2/Jellicle/hh/index.html

Some have asked for a smaller banner.

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