He barked at her

Last night I was talking to one of our 8th grade students. She is new to the parish. She has never been baptized and has a tough home life. She is looking to learn more about faith and get involved.  She has been coming to Mass for months as well as classes.  She came early last night and we were talking.  I asked her what high school she is looking at going to.  She said probably the local public school.  She said she went on a tour of the technical one and a big guy who was a student there barked at her.  She said it was scary and she never wants to go back there.  

It breaks my heart to hear her say this.  First this is a really good school in the area.  Second she would have a ton of opportunities there.  Next, it was only one student who barked at her.  But seriously, why do we feel the need to break people down.  No she is not model thin or with perfect skin.  Yes she is an average 13 year old girl,  a 13 year old girl who is mostly parenting herself.  She is girl who is making amazing connections to adults in her life as role models and for guidance.  She is doing all she can to learn and grow and create for herself a positive life. She is reaching out to connect to people at church and grow a faith life with little to no support from home.  

It is really easy to tear people down and make judgement against them.  It is harder and takes a much stronger, confident person to build people up, to see the struggles in their daily life and to help them along the way.  It breaks my heart she had this experience that will limit her in the future.