Popular singer and songwriter Taylor Swift recently took a moment to encourage a fan who was being bullied through a long, heartfelt Instagram message.
"It's okay to wonder how you could try so hard and still get stomped all over," the Grammy-winning star, 24, wrote in her message, which was shared by fans on Twitter. "Just don't let them change you or stop you from singing or dancing around to your favorite song."
Swift's comments were made to 14-year-old Hannah Webster, who described being bullied at her Lakeville, Massachusetts high school at the time she wrote to Swift.
"Reading this made me so sad because I love seeing you in your videos and photos being so happy and wide eyed, like the world isn't as harsh and unfair as it actually is," Swift responded.
"I hate thinking about your pretty face covered in tears, but I know why you're crying because I've been in your place. This isn't a high school thing or an age thing. It's a people thing. A life thing. It doesn't stop. It doesn't end or change.
Swift, who was bullied in junior high school because of her love for country music, spoke from personal experience with the young fan, whom she called "Hannahhhh."
"People cut other people down for entertainment, amusement, out of jealousy, because of something broken inside them," Swift wrote, "Or for no reason at all. It's just what they do, and you're a target because you live your life loudly and boldly. You're bright and joyful and so many people are cynical. They won't understand you and they won't understand me.
"But the only way they win is if your tears turn to stone and make you bitter like them."
"You're going into high school this week and this is your chance to push the reset button on how much value you give the opinion of these kids, most of whom have NO idea who they are. I'm so proud of you and protective of you because you DO. If they don't like you for being yourself, be yourself even more.
Hannah told ABC News that she was "super excited" to get the heartfelt message from the music star after commenting on one of her photos.
"I read it like five times," said Hannah. "All my friends were really leaving me and saying that that they hated me."
But according to Hannah, it was the line at the end of Swift's Instagram message that particularly touched her.
"The line I connected with the most was at the end when she said that when someone picks on her that she'll think of me, and that when someone picks on me I should think of her," Hannah said.
Taylor concluded:
"Every time someone picks on me, I'll think of you in the hopes that every time someone picks on you, you'll think of me... and how we have this thread that connects us. Let them keep living in the darkness and we'll keep walking in the sunlight.
"Forever on your side, Taylor."
