I was always the shy, quiet child.  Got a little bullied here and there, but the time I remember most is when we moved quite a bit so in grade 6, I spent the second half of the year in our local town school.  So I was new and not easy to make friends so it started.
  This big guy in my class would torment me daily, but I would just give back smart remarks and going about my business, then one day out of the blue walking home from school with my cousin and little brother I was surrounded by 3 or 4 guys and they started beating me in the head with books.  What a terrible moment in life that I have never forgot.  There was nothing anyone could do to help, my brother was only in grade 3, so he had to just stand there with my cousin and watch.  They only stopped when an Acadia student came along and she hollered at them to stop and leave me alone.  And they ran off and she asked me if I was okay.  I wish I knew who she was, she was my hero and I never got to say thank you.  I know I must have cried all the way home.  I don't even know if I told my mom or not, maybe I did, I don't even remember that far back, but I do remember what they did to me.  Did it change me, well maybe so in a way that I don't like to see children get bullied today, it makes me very angry.
  It didn't make me scared, I guess it made me tough and say my piece when need be.  I had a chance to ask one of them years later about it, yeah brave I know, but I know when I did it this person was totally embarrassed and apoligized and said he was sorry but didn't remember.  Said they were just kids!  Well I think he did remember, who could forget that unless they did it daily. But I did get my say and it helped me let go of it.  Will I forget it, never, or I wouldn't be writing about it like 36 years later. What's my point in writing this you say, well I guess I don't know, to let someone out there know they aren't the only ones to get beat up and to not let the bullies get to you, which I know that would be hard.  I was so glad I was out of that school, I have no fond memories there and was on to high school after that where I didn't get picked on again. 
But it did make me over protective of my children.  I never wanted them to experience some of the things I had to experience growing up.
  I think we did a good job at stepping in when we think someone was bothering them, and with my son I made sure he was in self defense and now is a black belt, which I wish I would have put my daughters in some sort of self defense class as well.  I worry about my grandchildren that they will get through life not getting picked on.  So I guess yes it affected me.  I have spoken up when I have seen someone arguing and maybe over stepped my bounds but yeah I can't stand it, haha.  I'm getting off track a little.  I just want kids to know they aren't alone, and please tell someone you trust, don't suffer in silence.  Things do get better and you can make sure when you grow up that you can make a difference. So protect your children, watch what they are doing and if you see any signs of anything step in and take control.  Until next time.