Man gets unexpected text from childhood bully who made him switch schools — his powerful response wins the Internet
The heartless act of bullying deeply impacts the lives of victims. It becomes a harsh memory and plays with people’s confidence and self-esteem. A 28-year-old man on Reddit, u/jawnova, shared a post revealing he was bullied by a girl back in school. It was so terrible that he had to switch schools. Years later, he got a text from the woman out of the blue and it changed his emotions for his childhood bully. The man, however, had a confident response to the woman's message.
“Girl who used to bully me messaged me out of the blue,” the caption of the post read. The woman first asked him if he went to the same elementary school and whether she’d found the right person. Once it was confirmed, she sent him a long paragraph, apologizing for bullying him when they were kids. “I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am for how I treated you as a kid. I remember riding my bike down your street and saying mean things. I was just a little bully,” she recalled. She added that she had been regretting all of it over the years and had no idea why she behaved like that in school.
She expressed regret over her actions and asked for his forgiveness. “I remember you as being so kind to everyone in school! Not that it makes it any better but it was not personal. I was just a young girl with problems. I hope you can forgive me even though I probably don't deserve it,” she wrote. She added that after becoming a parent to a little girl, she understood better how disturbing her actions were and she reflected on them often. “I teach her (the daughter) to be kind to everyone. It's one of the most important things in our home. So once again, I am so incredibly sorry for my actions and any pain it caused,” she concluded her message.
The man was touched by the woman's atonement and sincerity and decided to forgive her. He overlooked hateful feelings and instead of berating her, he taught her a lesson in kindness. In another post, he revealed the thoughtful message he sent to the woman. “It's really kind of you to say that and I do appreciate it, you made my morning,” he wrote. He also added a message for the woman. “But don't be too harsh on yourself, kids can be cruel and insensitive and I'd be lying if I said I never said or did anything I regret growing up. I turned out okay,” the man noted. He also lauded her for accepting her mistakes like an adult, “Your daughter sounds lucky to have a mature and kind mother!”
The man mentioned in a comment that the bullying was bad enough to have him switch schools but the sincere apology healed much. He revealed that the woman and her friends used to mock him for taking care of lots of stray cats. They would call him "kitty litter boy." But it was a thing of the past. The duo continued the conversation. “Do you remember me? And me doing that? I hate the thought of that so much. It sounds like you turned out amazing! You're so kind even still!” the woman remarked. “I do. I remember hiding in my house,” the man replied. After more apologies and catching up, the duo wished each other the best, accepting healing and peace after years of resentment and despair.
