There was a moment once—small enough that anyone else might have forgotten it, but heavy enough that it still sits in the back of my mind like a stone I never picked up.
It happened during lunch at school. I was sitting with a group of people I wasn’t really close to, but close enough that I wanted to feel included. Everyone was laughing, talking, and trying to be louder than the person next to them. It felt normal, until one of them decided to make a joke about another student who wasn’t there.
It wasn’t an obvious joke, not the kind that gets you in trouble. It was subtle—just a few words, a smirk, a roll of the eyes. But it was mean. Too mean. The way they said it made it clear they weren’t laughing with that student. They were laughing at them. Making fun of how they dressed, how they talked, things that didn’t hurt anyone.
I felt something sink inside my chest.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡim3JCZt4U0
I knew it was wrong.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklT59PrlYU
I knew it wasn’t fair.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV00CZoymU8
And I knew that if that student heard those words, they would have gone home feeling smaller than they deserved to feel.
I should’ve said something.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7Cl8ic6PK
Even something simple like, “That’s not cool,” or “Leave them alone.”109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXvxtISZez
But instead, I stayed quiet.
Not because I agreed—because I was scared.
Scared they’d turn on me.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOA6xWeXvgR
Scared I’d lose the little bit of acceptance I had at that table.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyL8BcuUo5g
Scared of being the only one who didn’t laugh, the only one who cared.
My silence felt heavy. I kept my eyes on my food, pretending I didn’t hear anything. But I did. Every word. And the worst part was knowing that my silence made me part of it, even though I didn’t want to be.
Later that day, when I saw the student they joked about, I felt that strange twist in my stomach again. They smiled at me, completely unaware of what had been said. And I realized something important: sometimes staying quiet feels safer, but it doesn’t feel right.
I still think about that moment.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1c31n7kPbo
Not because it was huge, but because it taught me something about myself.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZ4LFqK9hs
It showed me how easy it is to stay silent—and how hard it is to live with that silence afterward.
Next time, I want to be braver.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU49F6U93iC
Even if my voice shakes.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSP6JG6vmKp
Even if people look at me weird.109Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxJCMB1ikli
Even if I stand alone.
Because doing what’s right shouldn’t wait for courage to feel comfortable.
ns216.73.216.33da2
and then Add to home screen.