Celebrating Life!: Day 1 of 31 - 31 Day Post Challenge

In honor of freedom of speech I elected to partake of a challenge to blog for 31 days. It was supposed to be all of the month of October but my computer was having issues and wouldn't play nicely. At any rate, today is day one for me. I will give fair warning, I tend to shoot from the hip. I don't yield to bullying, so be fair warned. Any comments made by me are not and never are intended to offend, my intent is to write my thoughts and feelings with love. That being said let's move on...

I have let my blogging go and was glad that this challenge arose and gave me opportunity to come back. Very few people know this or would guess this about me knowing me now. I was a victim of bullying. Pretty serious bullying, in all aspects of my life. the affects still haunt me today. I am a survivor and advocate. I absolutely will not tolerate bullying of any nature.

I'd seen a dear friend and fellow blogger getting cyber bullied and just wasn't sure what to do about it other that to take a stand and blog with her and to blog boldly against bullies. Truth be told I was "that" kid, in grade school. The one that always got picked on. The one that got teased, shoved, belittled, verbally, emotionally, abused. At school, home, everywhere... it then followed me into my first marriage... I hate bullying. I am so glad that there are programs now that teach kids and teachers to stand up against and how to respond to bullying. For example right here in Missoula, Montana I am proud to be able to interact with a nationally known program Bikers Against Bullies USA. The kids are glad to see the bikes roll in and the program is really helping not to just to educate but also to help lead people to resources if necessary for suicide prevention, crime victim advocacy and more. It truly was something to be on the open highway with over two hundred motorcyclists knowing we were all out there for the same reason. we all want to make a difference for the kids, for the world. we want to see an end to bullying. it was a sight I am sure to onlookers too to see a stream of that many motorcycles tooling down the roads together. All types: Harley, Indian, Triumph, Honda, BMW, Yamaha, Kawasaki, you name it if it had wheels and ran it was on the road and it was beautiful!

Here are a couple of photos of the last Bikers Against Bullies Charity Ride just last month. There were over two hundred riders that came out for the event. It was a beautiful ride and a fun filled event evening that followed. It was hosted by Grizzly Harley Davidson who also hosts the local Harley Owners Group (HOG) another group I am honored to be associated with. I am in awe with all the many wonderful things this group of fine people do for their communities.