@re-joyce 16 September 2025 more from that month

"One day I heard some guy tell this girl in my class that her gums stuck out too much when she smiled, so she started covering her mouth every time someone cracked a joke or laughed with her. And I knew a boy in my English class who would always get excited over the tiniest of things, then say sorry afterwards. He’d actually apologize for being over-enthusiastic. This was probably because of the weird looks people would give him when he boasted about his favorite books or movies. He actually thought his passions were silly. Another time, I was at my best friend’s house. We were trying on clothes, and I threw a crop top of mine for her to wear. She told me she couldn’t wear it because her belly would stick out, and she wouldn’t want people staring or making rude comments. It was only later I found out about the nights she’d spend with two fingers down her throat. Then a distant friend of mine had this boyfriend who constantly criticized her. He never liked her hair up, so she always wore it to her shoulders. He didn’t like her in skirts or shorts, so she always dressed down. And when he thought her friends were too opinionated, she soon grew distant from me as well. When he eventually left, she had completely lost who she was. And once upon a time I fell in love with a boy who was afraid to cry because his whole life he was told that it made him weak. So day by day he’d let his problems eat away at him until eventually it consumed everything he was. What I’m trying to say is, be careful of your words. These might be small instances, but the biggest issues are usually hidden beneath a million smaller ones. Everyone is struggling in little ways. Be kind."