It’s a fine time to celebrate the world’s third most popular fruit! In case you’re wondering, apples and tomatoes beat it out. Tomatoes, not surprisingly, are the most popular. Given how much they’re used in foods around the world, I’m guessing they far surpass even apples. But I digress. Have a banana or two today!
This brings back what should be a painful memory, but the situation actually never bothered me. In seventh grade (when everything embarrasses you), I slipped on a banana heading in to class after the lunch break. I thought it was funny. My fellow students just stared at me. I’m not sure where my confidence came from that day, but there it was.
I already knew my peers thought I was strange. I don’t think I was. I was smarter than most and maybe that alienated others, I don’t know. I had a dry sense of humor that most probably didn’t get. Whatever it was, little by little, over time, the sneers and comments from others beat me down.
Nowhere was it worse than in gym class. I was the least athletic student in my class, couldn’t throw a ball, couldn’t catch a ball, couldn’t shoot a basket. As a freshman in high school, we had a schedule of sports we were to participate in. Imagine my horror when we found out the freshmen had to share the softball field with the seniors. By share, I mean play together. I cried every night.
Until two senior girls befriended me and told me it was okay to strike out. It didn’t matter if I dropped the ball. I was still okay and worthy of support and caring. It changed my life.
Don’t get me wrong, the massive insecurities continued to swirl around my mind and my parent’s divorce threw me into a tailspin, but at my core I re-found the confidence I had that day I slipped on a banana.
Thank you, Ginny. Thank you, Sue.
Image credits: Bananas © Nataliia; About to Slip © Africa Studio; Softball © Peieq, all, stock.adobe.com
My World With Words 
Oh, Belinda–I rolled my eyes on your horribly great pun. 🙄 But, kids and their attitude, for lack of a better word, towards others lives on, doesn’t it? I think, if anything, it has gotten worse since we were younger. Definitely thanks to Ginny and Sue for their encouragement.
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I thought of you when I penned that pun! Yeah, kids can be heartless. There are some good eggs out there, just can be hard to spot them on the playground!
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Such an inspiring post, Belinda. I have those memories, too. Unfortunately, the ones where I was mercilessly teased seem to stick out more. It truly is uplifting to know what a difference kindness makes. Bless Ginny and Sue!
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I hadn’t thought of them in a long time, but they made such a huge impression on me. I’m sorry you have memories of so much teasing. It’s so painful and kids have no idea how much hurt they’re causing.
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It’s amazing how one interaction can shift someone’s self-esteem and (possibly) course in how they see themselves.
Could you clarify this, though: did you intentionally slip on a banana peel (like for a laugh), or did you mistakenly slip on the banana peel?
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Mistakenly. I don’t think I would even have thought of doing it intentionally.
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So happy to hear about the two kind and supportive seniors. When I was a freshman, three senior girls took me down in the auditorium where we held gym class and unsnapped and opened my gym suit to see if I had a girdle on under it because they thought my stomach looked so flat that I must be wearing a girdle!!! They thought it was funny, but I was very embarrassed because there were boys up on the stage practicing for band and they could look down on it. A real contrast with your experience.
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Yes, indeed! It sounds horrifying.
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