A collection of Jonah Mowry responses

I first saw Jonah's video this afternoon, and have since been struck by how many people replied to his video with their own flash card vids. I thought I'd share some of them here. Can't seem to stop searching for them.

I suppose I had the usual amount of crap thrown at me as a kid. Nothing like these folks have been through. But I've certainly had times when I felt alone, lonely really, with a world coming at me from all directions. But I cannot imagine the pain that kids go through who are attacked so.

What is it in people that makes so many so able to hate? Is it a feeling that by hurting others, somehow their own status stays unthreatened? Does it make someone feel stronger to attack others who have been singled out for whatever reason?

I feel fortunate to live in a world where the people below were so moved as to send him video messages of support. I hope that it makes Jonah and the many other kids who share his pain feel less alone. That other kids -- and adults -- who are so horribly ostracized can see in these homemade videos some of the promise of how the world can and will get better for them.

That there are more good people and relationships than bad ones in their futures.

Apparently Jonah's life has taken a positive turn. That as a result of this effort, his school and the kids surrounding him have largely apologized, and are treating him better. That's magnificent. For some inexplicable reason, this seems to disappoint some people, who think he was lying about his pain. Ignoring the fact that he has so many scars from cutting himself to numb the pain.

I for one am very glad that Jonah did SOMETHING, and that that something helped improve his situation. Unfortunately, far too many kids don't see an improvement in their situation fast enough to prevent them from taking their own lives. These are kids. With "presents" so painful that they can no longer cope.

I am so happy that these wonderful videos made a difference in his life, and hope that they can make a difference in the lives of people who haven't yet found their voices.

Watch them. Watch them all.

Jonah's story seems to be ending well. For far too many kids, their stories end in wooden boxes and urns.