SCHOLARSHIP WINNER
Love is the cure to the sickness we call
Abuse
ABUSE Magazine wants to congratulate Justin Smith, our High School graduate from Crete-Monee High School in Crete, Illinois. ABUSE Magazine and our staff wants to congratulate him for winning the ABUSE Scholarship and we encourage him to pursuit his academic goals. We also would like to encourage future seniors to participate in our essay contest.
Attention! Breaking news! In 2010 drug abuse was the leading cause of death. Research shows 51.2 percent of females and 48.5 percent of males are victims of abuse. Each year more and more people are dying and falling into deep depression due to verbal abuse. Abuse has no face and it has no color, ethnicity, or accent. All types of people everywhere suffer from abuse.
A dear friend of mine, whose name shall remain anonymous, suffered from abuse. Her father passed away when she was an infant leaving her to grow up without a father figure. She was different from the other girls because she liked to play video games a lot, and she did not like to wear skirts. She was more interested in jeans. When she went to school the girls would give her dirty looks and talk about her. Guys would call her weird and girls called her stupid. She was a social outcast in school, her neighborhood, and even the church she attended. She was not accepted by others so she resulted to being a loner. My friend had her share of boyfriends, but they treated her like crap. The boys tried to use her for sexual pleasure, but when she would deny them they called her dumb, ugly, stupid, and many more hurtful names. Over and over she kept hearing these words of discouragement and she started believing it. I can remember her saying“ When I am in a room full of people I feel so alone.” No one wanted her and the way people would treating her was unbearable. Suicidal thoughts soon kicked down the door to the brain and entered in.
A little after I met her we were at a church conference and I started to talk to her and became her friend. I also noticed she had very few friends. She attempted to take a pill from a bottle so I assumed it was a Tylenol for the headache she complained about, but as soon as she brought the pill to her mouth I immediately realized that it was a very strong pill that can kill her. She was trying to overdose and kill herself. I immediately grabbed the pill and brought her to a private place to talk. She told me I was the realist and most caring friend she ever had. I just started encouraging her everyday saying“ You’ re amazing, you’ re beautiful, you are smart, talented, and cool.” We had a lot of deep conversations. I didn’ t try to“ preach” to her or over complicate things. I just shined light in a dark corner and
brought out the revelation of the situation. In this world where people are hurting and being abused they just need a friend and someone to show them what love is.( Not referencing love as in I’ m in love with you, but referencing love as in I love you and will treat you right. I care about you and I am here for you.) Time passed and I just kept encouraging her and then she started to gain confidence and we started to fight her abuse together.
She was being verbally abused and couldn’ t handle it on her own so she needed someone to come in and be her reinforcement. It was a long and vigorous battle, but we beat it. She is still alive and well today. She is happy, has friends, and doesn’ t listen to negativity. I learned that abuse is a killer for many people, and a very serious issue. There is a cure for abuse though. The cure is simple, yet complex. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed“ Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” The cure for abuse is love. Love heals and love restores. If you show a person that has been abused genuine and real love then their whole outlook on life will be changed. My friend was in a bad situation and headed toward ending her life, but I just showed her love, and that someone cared and I encouraged her. In life we need to stop putting each other down and start building each other up. All positive things are built on love. Love is the vaccination that cures any type of abuse. Sometimes people abuse drugs and alcohol. You just have to keep loving them and showing them love. Don’ t condemn them, but convict them. Convict them with love. Abuse can be handled with love. Often times we know not the severity of abuse whether it’ s physical, verbal, drug abuse, or whatever. Love is the cure to the sickness we call abuse.
Justin Smith Crete-Monee High School- Crete, IL
4 | Illinois Spring / Summer 2014 | abusemagazine. org
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