Bullies and Rice Krispie Treats
"Can you stop for a minute? We want to give you a treat."
A girl and two young children approached me while I was walking on a street I normally don't go down in Yazoo City, but a voice said take that street today. The youngest child gave me a Rice Krispie treat with chocolate chips wrapped in a paper towel and said, "Have a nice day."
Cameron, the babysitter, said the kids spend a lot of time inside and this summer she is making them get out and meet their neighbors. They started today with treats.
"I love babysitting because these kids are so happy and get joy out of simple things."
Cameron also gets joy out of simple things. The bands on her wrists are from her brother's baseball tournament and a carnival. She will add more during June and July and won't take them off until the end of summer because "these are my memories."
She is 16 and wants to be a Senator to prove that the world is not filled with hate. She has worked as a page in the House and Senate in Mississippi. She has seen how politics works and still wants to be a part of it.
Cameron also knows how hard life can be. She lives with her grandparents because her parents divorced when she was young. Two years ago her best friend committed suicide. Her grandmother gave her a car this year to help get away from some of the bullying at school.
I went to her school and I know how mean people can be. My last name was Henderson and one of my nicknames was "Fender Bender" because they thought I was ugly. My brilliant best friend, Melissa, who never had a weight problem, got down to 87 pounds eating only 400 calories a day just because she thought it would help her fit in.
Cameron has found a safe place at church to deal with the dark sides. Some nights they play an honesty game called "Cross the River" in youth group. A line on the floor is the river. If everything is okay, cross the river to the bank on the other side. If something has you down, stay in the river. She says the game shows that even when it feels like you are drowning, someone is there to reach out a hand and pull you through.
"I was in the river the night we talked about bullying and we prayed for each other. It is humbling to be honest and have people pray for you."
She says there is a reason and a purpose for the hard times she has endured.
"I think everyone is looking for a reason and purpose. I am trying to show others they aren't alone. Good people are there for you."
Cameron has learned many of the secrets of life before she graduates from high school: find your purpose; give a hand to pull someone else out of the river; know that sometimes you will need pulling out and rescued. And every now and then, give a neighbor or a stranger a treat.
I hope Mississippi gets a Senator like Cameron.
