Bullies

I saw something very disturbing on my way to work today, something I can honestly say I never saw in real life before. I saw a kid getting beat up at the bus-stop. I'm not talking pushing and shoving ... he was curled up on the ground while three or four other guys (I think one was actually a girl) kicked him in the stomach. His face grimaced in pain and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Cars everywhere just passed by as if everything was normal. Maybe they were on their cell phones to the police (should I have been?), but I made a U-turn as soon as I could and drove past that corner again. This time, they were all standing around, and the boy who had been on the ground was off to the side by himself. I could see the others were saying something to him and he was just ignoring them. I drove past one more time to make sure no more violence would ensue and then I was off to work, deeply disturbed. I didn't know what to do! I certainly didn't know what I would have done had they still been beating him up when I turned back around. They were some big kids, I sure didn't want to get in the middle of it. But it affected me for quite some time afterwards.

I'm purposely taking the same route tomorrow, and if I see it happen again, I think I'm going to call 9-1-1. It's so sad to see people (especially at such a young age; probably 12-14 yrs old) with such anger or self esteem issues that they have to take it out on a weaker kid. I wondered throughout the day how that kid would deal with this phase of his life once he got past it (IF he gets past it). Will he harbor bitterness toward his offenders forever? Will he use it to make him stronger and minister to others who end up in his shoes someday? Will he hate himself for years to come? Will he ever reconcile with those bullies? And do the bullies' parents know how their kids are acting?

It's just sad. I hope I don't see anything tomorrow on that corner. But even if I don't, it won't mean that the problem is solved - it will just mean I was spared from witnessing it that time around. Sorry this is so depressing. On the upside, the reason I took the route to work that I did today was because we finally spent the night at our new house! Very exciting :) My life is so blessed.