This I Believe Essay
Everyone deserves a second chance because nobody is inclined to one behavior forever; people change with time. During my early years in high school, I experienced hardships from a couple of bullies who liked hanging around the restroom in the evening areas. All the bullies were in their final year and thought we, the freshers, deserved some torture to harden enough for high school life. What followed after the experience left me dumbfounded, realizing that people change with time.
On the third day of my first week in high school, I encountered a group of bullies around the washroom. Being new to the school, I considered everyone kind and friendly. So, I greeted the four boys on my way into the restroom, but none of them answered. I assumed they were busy, so I proceeded in. However, while coming out of the washrooms, the boys blocked my way out, and one held me by the neck. As I gasped for breath, the rest were mumbling and laughing teasingly. I struggled by pushing away the guy holding me down until he released me after what seemed forever. After getting loose, I tried running away but got a sweep that left me struggling to get up. After falling, the boys jabbed and kicked me until I could not hold back tears. I swore to report the incident immediately.
Unfortunately, the school head had left when I walked to his office. Therefore, I decided to report the matter to my teacher the next day. I remember crying alone on my way home but had no courage to say the case to my parents. They used to come home late, and we barely got time together on weekdays. So, early the following day, I saw my class teacher about the matter. He let me explain everything in detail while recording in a notebook. I tried as much as possible to describe the appearance of the bullies and narrated the entire experience I had with the bullies. After reporting, the teacher sent me back to class and said we would go to the washrooms later that day to see if we could trace any perpetrators. Unfortunately, none were there when we looked in the evening.
I remember living in perpetual fear after being unable to trace the bullies. I could not go to the washrooms alone because I feared the boys would be there waiting for me. The fear even made me spend most of the time alone in class. Finally, I decided to form a group of friends to watch over one another. Not long after finding a few friends, I reencountered the bullies, but my friends fled, leaving me confused and shaking. The memories of my first encounter with that group gave me shivers and drained out all my energy, such that I could not even walk away. One bully approached and slapped me, and others said, “Let us do it, David. Let us teach him a lesson.” David was apparently from my home area but did not know about that. He held me as the rest jabbed and slapped me. The next thing I knew, I was in the hospital crying in pain.
This was the first time I fainted, which worried everyone, including the offenders. It was surprising to see David, one of the bullies at the hospital. David had called for help and got me to the hospital after they beat me up until I lost my conscience. So, his sight made me scream, and everyone came asking what had made me so frightened. After explaining, David’s parents were called and planned a meeting with the school about his misbehavior. The following week, the school met with the bullies and dismissed them after failing to explain the reason for their misconduct. From then on, I never came to see David or any other bully until I joined campus.
David was changed into an excellent young man, willing to help a stranded first-year student on the campus. I had been on campus for a week when I met David again. Everyone was walking home after school when I heard someone tap my shoulder. I turned back and got the shock of my life after seeing David standing behind me. “Calm down,” He said with a broad smile. I trembled as he talked, thinking he would smack my face hard for reporting him earlier. However, David spoke calmly and requested me to have coffee with him as he explained something. As we sipped coffee, David explained that he had decided to change when I fainted. He started attending church and even began a small group with his friends to support the needy students. David showed me to his friends and offered to help me find an excellent place to stay while schooling.
It is sometimes easy to judge a person from their past deeds and experiences. However, time brings new lessons that keep shaping behavior and personality, making it wrong to condemn someone for their past actions without considering what they have experienced. My biggest bully turned out to be my best friend and legend, but I could not have guessed any of that when they used to beat me up during my first year in high school. Learning that a person’s character is dynamic and everyone deserves a second chance took time.