(Approximately 6,000 words in length.) Why would I see the need to write about a horrible "bizarre bullying" experience, that I had as a teen who grew up in the 1970s, rather than to relate all of the glory days I experienced? My reason, is because I think we sometimes forget about just how hard it can be for a teen who is growing into adulthood, to survive the negative challenges of it. This is true especially of those harsh experiences involving mean-spirited people, that the vast majority of kids are affected by at some point during their transition into adulthood. I do not wish to imply that this stops when we become adults (there are lots of mean-spirited adults) but kids are more susceptible to "hurt feelings". We sometimes become passive about how difficult and demanding this time in a person's life can be. We see movies and television that turn the sometimes "horrible experiences" of youth, into humorous plots and comical skits. The fact is however, that the "teen years" are sometimes not survived by those who are trying to grow up through them and it is believed to be the most difficult time in life, according to experts in the psychiatric fields of study (especially ages 13 and 14). I was one of those teens who found myself to be experiencing out-of-control emotions at different points while I was growing up. Much of this stemmed from experiences that were occurring in my life, that I found serious difficulty coping with. At certain points, I began to resort to methods of escapism, including drug and alcohol abuse. These of course, did not succeed in providing me real deliverance from my problems but only served to embed them more-deeply into my soul. These "vices", as some people refer to them, have a real ability to quell a person's pain for moments at a time but they also make it far more difficult to deal with them, once the diversion and numbing effects of them have worn off. They are in fact "dead ends" that only serve to cause further bondage in the lives of young people, who have already become imprisoned by negative emotional imbalances. I believe by sharing one of my own negative life-experiences -- one that was seriously and negatively-impacting, I can help to demonstrate how serious these types of experiences can be in the lives of teenagers, who are trying to survive growing up in a tough and sometimes cruel world. I also share what I believe to be a major source of hope for teens and that which can give them that seriously-needed realization, that their lives have purpose, meaning and direction. TABLE OF CONTENTS: 1. Growing Up and Coping in a Cruel World 2. The Christian Message of This Book 3. The Cruelty of a False Accusation 4. My School Absentees Were Mounting 5. The Day My Brother Got Involved (Involuntarily) 6. The Usual Domino Effect of Gossip and False Accusations 7. Riding Out One Storm, While Another is Approaching 8. The Light at the End of the Tunnel - An old Cliché but Very True!
About the Author: A husband, father and grandfather, I've been a contract salesman most of my life. I am also a veteran writer and have served as an editor, forum moderator and an author of health article titles (recipient of 4 editor's choice awards). I received a diploma from Liberty University for completion of theological studies in 1996. I served as a youth minister, Bible teacher and guest speaker in fundamental, evangelical Christian churches, from 1983 to 2001.