There are a lot of ways to deal with the hard transitions that come during freshman year of high school. Me? I chose to end my life. Thankfully, I was one of the lucky ones...the lucky ones who received a second chance to make a different decision. I was able to choose fortitude over resignation. But let me back up a little. Let me tell you my story of hurt, of despair, and of healing. I wasn’t the kind of kid who was excited to begin high school. I had not been very popular in middle school and didn’t feel...

Today, I want to chat a little bit about friendships, bullying, and outcasts.  The aftermath of bullying comes across my news feed and onto the television way too often.  A student suspended for beating up a peer, a school district under fire for not responding seriously to threats, school shootings, and more.  Most of the efforts put forth to stop bullying seem to be spent deciding what to do with the offender once the situation comes to a head.  However, the resolution seems fairly straightforward to me and it appears that we are going about this the wrong way.  Maybe...

I was born into a middle class family, in an average American farm town, during a forgettable time in history. My town really didn't really understand me. I always felt like I didn't belong, that somehow I was placed there by mistake. I felt isolated. I saw myself as creative, but many of my classmates thought that I was odd. They saw me as eccentric; I thought I was unique. I have to admit that I did little to quell their perception of me; in fact, I stirred the pot even more. I took a certain pride in my rebellious...