Monday, January 18, 2010

The Time I took a Stand

Taking a stand can be difficult to do, especially when everyone around you is doing something, and you're the one to say no, I will not do this. I took a stand on cursing. I am not the type of person to beat someone over the head with a Bible for cursing, however I request that people around me do not use that kind of language. I, like everyone else, make mistakes and a word slips once in a blue moon, but I make it one of my personal standards to not use bad language.

When I was in the eighth grade, I had friends who cursed, a lot. And I, at one time, fell into the habit as well, which I am not proud of. However, one day I realized that I was going with the crowd and giving in to peer pressure. I was not standing up for what I believed in, and I was being hypocritical. So one day I said to my friends, I am not going to speak like that anymore, and I'd appreciate it if around me you tried to tone down that kind of language as well. My friends were very understanding and respected how I felt. I was scared to say anything because I didn't know what they would say, or if they might make fun of me for thinking differently. But in the end, I felt better because I broke a bad habit and stood up for my beliefs, even when I was afraid to do so.

The fact that someone says a curse word in itself is not as much a problem. The problem is that by saying curse words, you are offending someone else. People need to have the respect for others to watch their language so that, even if they don't see a problem with cursing, they will be respecting the people they are around.