New Bully on the Block

Many of us have been affected by bullies growing up, one way or another; either you were one or you were the victim of one, or a once removed bystander. I remember fifth grade. Due to my parents' divorce I moved back and forth a lot, so fifth grade brought me back to where I began; rural school New Hampshire. With my Holly Hobby lunch box and unpopular canvas all stars and my knack for being quiet, I found myself friends with some but not with many. One day I found my metal lunchbox kicked in and thrown all the way down the hill. I was really upset about that and surprised to find that my nickel was still inside. Now that I'm grown, things haven't changed much except that the bullies we fight don't have faces. I'm married to the unfortunate self-employed small business man who gets crappy deals thrown at him by healthcare providers who really just want your money and won't cover you if you have any real needs - bullies. It's bad enough when they pick on you, but when they threaten to not cover your offspring then I find the pressure rising inside and I explode into action. NO MORE! I don't know all the answers, but for now, instead of handing our "lunch" money over, I'm keeping it for my family. I'm going to put it in it's own saving's account. It turns out that we qualify for medicaide for our kids (sad but true......we're climbing up out of this hole slowly...I can see it; I can feel it.....God gives me reminders that He is with me). This is grueling work. I feel like I'm spending my days digging mental ditches, uncovering treasures and new ways of doing things here and there. It's not fast work, but it's hard work. We will survive and we'll never be in this place again some day, and the bullies won't be able to pick on us anymore..........that's what happens eventually when you stand up for yourself and move on. That's all I've got for now. I'm tired of fighting for today. Tomorrow is a new day and a new battle and I'll be prepared.