This week, at work, I had a lady turn up that I knew well from when I was at school. And she hasn’t changed a bit! But I was also reminded that her daughters had been particularly nasty to me at school, in fact, they were bullies.

I had these two sisters through primary school, intermediate, and secondary school. They were kids, just like me, except they were nasty with their words and actions. No matter what I did or said, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. These girls weren’t the only ones, but I guess, having known them since primary school, was more than enough.

And I was surprised to see their mother…and then I worried about if they might come to see their mother. What would happen then? Would they recognise me? Would they have matured? Or would they still be able to say the spiteful things that they used to years ago?

I know I have changed. Because of their (and other kid’s) bullying, I developed a resilience that I wouldn’t have otherwise. I also know when to pick my battles. I don’t put myself into situations where I am likely to get bullied. In fact, I never went to my school reunion, because I couldn’t be bothered with trying to prove who I was now.

And that is the lesson I had to learn here too. I don’t need to prove to them that I’m a different person. I don’t need to worry about them being in my sphere or being around me, because I can be the adult and either acknowledge them or not. I control the situation now, I won’t let people put me into the position where I’m made to feel smaller than them, or less than them, because I know who I am, and I’m powerful in that.

(I would have poked my tongue out at them behind their back though!)