Bullies Come in All Shapes and Sizes
When many people think of bullies, they have a picture in their minds that is of a tough looking kid and so often, that can’t be farther from the truth. Bullies come in all shapes and sizes, in all ethnicities, in all sexes and in all ages. You would be surprised to know how many adults are still experiencing bullying events.
On a recent trip, I viewed a few events and all involved different kinds of bullies. One of the events happened on the plane. The passengers were advised to place their larger carry on items in the overhead bins and the smaller ones under their seats. Most people follow the rules and attempt to be respectful of the other passengers BUT there are always some who believe that the rules don’t apply to them. In addition there are some who haven’t learned what respect is all about…yet!
Case in point:
I watched an elderly gentleman struggling to get his bag in the overhead above his seat a few rows away from me. It was the last space available. Another man came from further back and pushed past him and put his bag in the space that should have been for the other gentleman. A few minutes later, the flight attendant told the older gentleman that he would have to check his bag since there was no room.
He told her he needed his bag but she couldn’t accommodate him. After the flight landed, I saw the younger man take a large bag from the overhead near his seat. Then he unloaded the one he put above the elderly gentleman’s seat.
Lesson:
This man was just as much of a bully as the stereotypical bully. I wasn’t close enough to the elderly gentleman’s seat at the time to help him but I made up for it later. As all of us were getting off of the plane, I saw that the bully dropped a small package and then struggled with his two bags to pick it up. With the bustle of people walking quickly to get to their next flight or destination, his package got stepped on and then inadvertently kicked aside.
When he picked it up, I could see that he was really upset. I walked up to him and said, “I’m really sorry that your package got stepped on.” He made a comment like, “Nobody cares about anybody when they are in a hurry.” I said, “Sadly, that can be true a lot. It’s just like that elderly gentleman who you pushed aside to get your second bag into his overhead bin. I’ll bet that he felt just as bad as you feel now.”
He gave me an odd look and then said, “I need to do something about that don’t I?” I said, “It might be too late. You might not be able to find him.”
He hurried off and a few minutes later, as I approached the conveyer belt where the baggage from our flight was being unloaded, I saw something that melted my heart. The bully was helping the elderly victim by carrying his bag toward the exit. Both were smiling talking warmly to each other.
I smiled to myself and thought, “It doesn’t take a lot to make a difference when it comes to bullying. Each of us just needs to step up to the plate when an occasion arises and we can help in some way.”
How about you? What have you done to make a difference with bullying lately?
Photo: Colin Bowern
