Mean People Suck

I've seen those bumper stickers for years.  Or maybe I saw them years ago.  I always agreed, and sometimes wondered why anyone would bother to put a sticker on their car that said something so obvious.  Mean people suck.

Julia, to me, has always seemed confident.  She wore that silly clown costume to school on the last day last year.  And the girl who did that can't possibly be the same girl who now sits in her room in the morning saying she has nothing to wear that people won't laugh at.

She woke up a few minutes later this morning that usual.  And even though she had time to take a shower, she didn't.  Because she claimed she didn't have time.  I guess she just didn't want to feel rushed.  Or else she didn't want to act on the rushed feeling she was already having.  Either way, she sat in the floor complaining about her wardrobe.  Her jeans are dirty.  She's not allowed to wear short shorts to school.  She has nothing to wear.

Nevermind that I pulled out 5 pairs of Mom-approved shorts.  Nevermind that there were a couple of other pants.

I told myself to stay calm.  I tried.  And so I calmly ranted - after I made her change out of the leggings-under-short-shorts that she'd put on.

Mean people don't deserve your energy.  Who cares what they think about your outfit.  You have to dress according to the school dress code and Mom's rules.  Beyond that, you should like what you're wearing and that's all that matters.  If Sally doesn't like it - that's okay.  Sally doesn't have to wear it.  And Sally doesn't have to look at you.  And if Sally is going to be rude to you about your clothes, then Sally isn't worth being friends with or paying attention to.  You should surround yourself with good people.  Kind people.  People who will lift you up and make you feel good.  And don't waste your energy on negative people.  Because it really doesn't matter what you wear.  What you wear on any day isn't going to make that person nice.  Your clothes aren't going to change them.

Kids are mean.  Especially kids in the 10-13 age.  And you have to be comfortable in your own skin enough to ignore hatefulness and get on with surrounding yourself with good people.  Because mean people suck.