I remember being beaten, tripped, teased, excluded, and otherwise made to feel small and worthless.  If you met me now, you'd never know it.  I'm smart, articulate, confident, reasonably good looking, and have friends.

It wasn’t always that way.  Those are learned skills.  I will always be the fat kid.  I will always feel uncool.  I will always be the band geek.  The kid whose homework got copied. The one who was pushed into the lockers. The kid no one wanted to go with to prom.

I remember wanting to die.  Just so it would stop.  Just so they would feel what I felt - if only for a moment.

I wish I could say you forget.  But you don't. 

All I can say is it gets better. 

For those in the mix right now.  For those on the edge.  Hear me.  I beg you.  School ends.  You keep rising.  They stay behind.  Sooner or later their voices shrink into the background. 

It doesn't feel like it right now I'm sure.  I remember.  You'll be amazed at how little middle school or high school will matter in a few short years. Pretty soon it will all be a distant memory.

So gut it out.  You can take it.

You never know who you'll meet tomorrow.  You never know what adventure awaits.  I promise there's love and laughter out there. It's coming.

Just hang on.

Michael Fitzpatrick