Wrestling

So I have been wrestling lately with whether or not I would blog about the recent death of Tyler Clementi.  I am overwhelmed with grief when I think about any sort of bullying that results in death.  Majority of the time one incident isn't going to drive a person to kill themselves so why isn't it stopped?  What are we missing out on that allows bullying to continue to the point where people are driven to suicide?  I just googled "bullying resulting in suicide" and the results are horrific, and to think about the fact that there are probably hundreds of incidents that aren't plastered on the internet is equally tragic.  I think that today, where bullying doesn't just stop in the hallways, life is probably harder than it was for people before the internet generation.  I think that the movie "He's Just Not That Into You" said it best.

“I had this guy leave me a voice mail at work, so I called him at home, and then he emailed me to my BlackBerry, and so I texted to his cell, and now you just have to go around checking all these different portals just to get rejected by seven different technologies. It’s exhausting.”

It's ridiculous how many different portals there are where people can infiltrate your lives.  The internet is an amazing tool.  It connects so many different people and is almost an unlimited resource of information, but like any other tool or weapon when used in the wrong way it can end up being very harmful.  I was teased a little when I was younger.  I was never the skinniest or the smartest or the prettiest girl.  I was shy and sometimes awkward and I turned red at just about anything.  I cry at the drop of a hat and I used to never stand up for myself.  Pretty much a direct target for some sort of bullying.  But for me it stopped in school.  I didn't come home and have to endure hours of bullying over text messages or myspace or facebook and for that I am eternally grateful.  


I just finished reading Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury.  The woman is an amazing author and touches on so many every day issues that it's hard to not be overwhelmed by her books.  They are fictional but hold so much truth.  Unlocked is about a boy with Autism who is changed by music.  I wont go into details about the book because I know a few people that might read this and I don't want to ruin it for them :)  But the book does touch on bullying and what the effects can be.  I think it is no coincidence that this book will release when it does.  There is so much controversy right now over bullying, mostly centered around homosexuality due to the recent death of Tyler Clementi, and I can't blame people.  I feel like something could have been done there. Whether it's bullying because of race, sexual orientation, weight, height, or any other reason, we should try and put at stop to it.  At the very least we should pray for the victims of bullying.  Pray that they don't get pushed to the brink and feel that the only way out is to end their lives. I read this book and was just overcome by emotion.  There is a character in the book that is bullied because he plays the flute.  You can probably guess what people call him but just that storyline alone is too real.  Too much of that takes place on a daily basis and it makes me sick.  So I want to thank God for giving the world this book when He did.  I do think it's going to touch so many lives and if you have time to sit down and read a book, I think you probably should pick it up at your local bookstore.  


I will leave you with a thought that is not my own.  Karen writes a letter to the reader at the end of every book.  There was one part that just stuck out and whether or not you read the book, you should hear it.  


"Life is to short to be anything but real with the cast of characters God has placed in the story of your life.  Love well, laugh often, and find your life in Christ. Don't hide away or be a follower. Be the wonderful unique person God made you to be, and know that your purpose will always be best when defined by your faith in Him."  Karen Kingsbury.