Weekly Question: Welcome to My Life

I apologize to Miss Julie for not answering her questions for two weeks in a row but I now starting to get back to answering her memes in the future.

What comes to your mind and what do you feel about the lyrics of the song "Welcome to My Life"?

My hubby and me are fans of Simple Plan and we are not strangers to analyzing what each song means. We love doing this and discussing what the among ourselves gives us another reason why we love these songs.

When you hear this song for the first time, you immediately love the beat an d can sing along to the chorus as most of us do. Unfortunately, only a handful take the time to get the lyrics and read them along with the song. More often than not, we just sing along without really understanding what the song is trying to convey.

"Welcome to My Life" is a song that shows teen angst and pain and those that do not belong. These are the kids who need help. Unfortunately, our society doesn't see them as hurting but whose feelings they can simply discount.

I am not a stranger to these hurts when I was still in grade school. The desire to fit in and be loved is always there. Most of you may not know it but I was one of those "lost souls." Oh sure, they said that I was lucky to have almost everything I wanted but I felt that I didn't belong anywhere. I only had a few friends because I wasn't as outgoing as I am today. I was reserved, a loner if you will. My friends, however, didn't know how I felt.

I found salvation in books and my writing. The rest, as they say, is history. But even though I have "found" my way, I still cannot discount those feelings of being alone and unloved. Despite these feelings, I never once thought about ending my life. I am not trying to judge those who used that as a last resort but I am happy to say that I got away form its evil claws.

Children can be cruel sometimes to those who do not fit in. I know of someone who had to transfer to another school the next year because of a handful of students who made fun of her and treated her like a leper. Yes, this things exist and I was a witness to this atrocity. Another incident happened again when we where in high school. It was a different student and the bullies where different as well but it is all the same. Fortunately the student had the guts to tell someone and it was immediately stopped.

To say that I haven't been bullied is an understatement. At the lowest points in my life, I became a victim to two bullies. We're friends now and one is even a close friend but I got over that part by myself. I simply woke up one day and discovered that I had the voice to stand up for myself and hardened my heart not to care about them at all. I also realized that bullies are those who feel great satisfaction in putting someone else down. I rose above them and to this day, I laugh at my naiveté.

Being different is hard as well. I felt that when I was amidst people who I wasn't close to, they tended to judge me. Perhaps it's because we where on a different wavelength but they simply didn't let me in. I didn't mind though. I made friends with a few people at that point and I wasn't one to suck up to a person just because I wanted to be their friend. I hate being plastic and I hate trying to fit in. After all, they where the group who tried to destroy a friend of mine, too. She survived and I know she is better than they are.

To the bullies out there, welcome to my life! I am not afraid anymore and it has been a long time since I was being bullied. You just don't know how it hurts those who are weak but I came away stronger because of it. I will still see you when we have our reunion in three years and I still see you around the city but know this, you didn't break me at all.

Like this article? Add me