We Are All Different.

• Payton Oleksyn, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2013

Many things have changed over the years. New inventions and technology have surfaced and made their ways into everyday life. Technology such as phones and internet have made an enourmous impact on everyone's lives. But not all affects have been positive. As well as all the great inventions, increased cases of bullying have occured all around the world. Whether it be a small teasing or a physcial beating we have all experienced or seen it happen around us. Judged by our looks, colour of our skin, our sexual orientation, no one is safe.Not school, workplace or even our own homes are safe anymore. We are all open and perfect targets for someone elses idea of fun. We are categorised by our looks and hobbies by peoples idea of beauty and perfedction. What many people don't take into account is how the victims feel. Depressed, isolated, alone and disgusted, the victims feel over whelmed by awful feelings. They're affected in a way that is irreversible. They start to think differently. More negative about the world and themselves. Start to believe what they're being told. Thinking they're ugly and worthless, the scars may not be physical but they exist in their hearts. So why do we do this? To feel better about ourselves, while putting others down? To feel inferior to our peers? None of it makes any sense. Why do we feel the need to judge someone else. Who came up with this impossible image of beauty? What we need more than anything in this world is acceptance. Accepting people for who they are and who they like. None of it should matter. What does matter is people's feelings of happiness and peace. Making peope feel safe and comfortable in the world. Feeling as if they have a purpose and a meaning. Not judging people, not making fun of them. Don't put people down, but instead bring people up. Build people up, help people grow, because people matter.