Everything seems a little bit brighter...
So Challenge Day was today.
And I went in there fully expecting it to be sappy and lame, which it was for a bit, but it changed, somehow, in the middle, and it was every bit as inspiring as they said it would be.
Like we played a bunch of weird games that started out weird , but then we got into some really deep stuff and everyone was crying and hugging.
There was this one game where there was a line on the floor, and the object was that the facilitatory people would state a thing, like "Step over the line if you've ever been beaten or abused in any way," or "Step over the line if a guy has ever catcalled at you or called you a bitch or a slut or a whore." Stuff like that.
But it was amazing at just how many people stepped over the line, and that no one was alone. :/
And we got into these little discussion group thingies and basically revealed our greatest ambitions and dreams and hopes and stuff, but also heavy stuff we'd probably never told anyone else, ever. It's funny how it's so hard to say these things to strangers, but I think it'd be even harder to tell it to people I knew because I know they would probably judge me.
But whenever someone shared something about themself, or crossed over the line, people did that "I love you" sign language thing to show that they were there for them, and that they were listening. It's weird, how a room full of a hundred people or so can produce so much love and support, even if it is only for one day.
I'm pretty sure it did even inspire people to change things, because in the end a lot of people got up and apologized (in front of everyone) to people they had wronged, or they shared how the day had affected them. After, when we could just go around and talk to people, I myself went over to Kyle (who I had previously not been speaking to, at all, ever) and apologized to him for ignoring him and pretending he didn't exist. And he apologized back and said he'd been doing the same thing, and said that he was sorry and we hugged and forgave each other and whatnot.
See? It was lovely and inspirational!
But I liked it, a lot, and found some things out about other people, and learned that there are so many other people going through the same stuff that I had/am.
But most of all, I know that there are so many people that I can trust, and depend upon, and love.
And I went in there fully expecting it to be sappy and lame, which it was for a bit, but it changed, somehow, in the middle, and it was every bit as inspiring as they said it would be.
Like we played a bunch of weird games that started out weird , but then we got into some really deep stuff and everyone was crying and hugging.
There was this one game where there was a line on the floor, and the object was that the facilitatory people would state a thing, like "Step over the line if you've ever been beaten or abused in any way," or "Step over the line if a guy has ever catcalled at you or called you a bitch or a slut or a whore." Stuff like that.
But it was amazing at just how many people stepped over the line, and that no one was alone. :/
And we got into these little discussion group thingies and basically revealed our greatest ambitions and dreams and hopes and stuff, but also heavy stuff we'd probably never told anyone else, ever. It's funny how it's so hard to say these things to strangers, but I think it'd be even harder to tell it to people I knew because I know they would probably judge me.
But whenever someone shared something about themself, or crossed over the line, people did that "I love you" sign language thing to show that they were there for them, and that they were listening. It's weird, how a room full of a hundred people or so can produce so much love and support, even if it is only for one day.
I'm pretty sure it did even inspire people to change things, because in the end a lot of people got up and apologized (in front of everyone) to people they had wronged, or they shared how the day had affected them. After, when we could just go around and talk to people, I myself went over to Kyle (who I had previously not been speaking to, at all, ever) and apologized to him for ignoring him and pretending he didn't exist. And he apologized back and said he'd been doing the same thing, and said that he was sorry and we hugged and forgave each other and whatnot.
See? It was lovely and inspirational!
But I liked it, a lot, and found some things out about other people, and learned that there are so many other people going through the same stuff that I had/am.
But most of all, I know that there are so many people that I can trust, and depend upon, and love.