A Message of Hope

by Anonymous
​
We here at Madison Junior High have a special talent. And that is keeping the most important things a secret. Everyone seems like they are happy and perfectly fine, but that is extremely wrong. One in three people at our school are struggling with a mental illness. And what are we doing about it? We’re completely ignoring it! However, there are some people out there who do hope to help. 

First of all, here is a warning to anyone who may be the ones actually hurting someone else's heart. Stop. You think it's funny but really you could be ruining someone’s life because what you said made them think that there was no place for them in this world. You never know what someone is going through so just be kind to everyone because everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. 

Years ago, people judged others because of their race or gender. Now we are judged because of our hair color, style, interests, and much more. We also judge because of things that people can’t even help, such as diabetes, autism, and other illnesses. We need to respect others because we’re all people and every person is different, with different interests and looks, and that is simply what makes them human. We need to respect that. 

Now for those who are struggling. You are absolutely perfect just the way you are. It’s not a good idea to listen to what everyone else has to say about you because they are totally wrong and they don’t even know what they’re talking about. They don’t know how amazing you are, so what right do they have to say otherwise? Mark Twain once said, “A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.” You are the ONLY one that can tell you who you are and what you can become. If you want to dye your hair bright pink, do it! If you want to wear bright orange knee high socks, do it! If other people don’t like it… who cares! Their loss. Stand out and be proud of it. 

So I want you to pause, think about who you are, and don’t let ANYONE change that. You belong, and you are supposed to be here. So if you didn’t get anything out of this, I don’t care, but what I want you to remember is that you matter and you belong.