I don't know how many people keep up with the news and what is going on around the world, in their own country, and in their communities. I am not really one of those people but my youngest sister happens to be. She posted a link on my mom's facebook page. I clicked on the link and it was a video segment of a news anchor from Lacrosse, Wisconsin named Jennifer Livingston. For those of you who don't know the story, let me give you the Reader's Digest version. The news anchor, Jennifer, had received an email from a local man complaining to her of her being over-weight and how she should be ashamed of herself for allowing herself to be that way while yet remaining in the eye of a public as a news anchor and as an example to young girls of letting them think it is okay to be over-weight.

Her response to the horrible email was beautiful and modest. She admitted that she was over-weight, which I thought took a lot of courage to say in front of a camera in front of hundreds and possibly thousands of people. But give me one woman who doesn't think she is over-weight and is happy with her body and I will give you a pet Griffin. They both exist in Fantasy Land so you should be able to pick them both up at once. Maybe even get a BOGO.

The part about her monologue on live tv that struck me the most was one line that she sent out as a message to people all around the world who are bullied, made fun of, picked on, ridiculed, and excluded from main stream socialization. She said, "The cruel words of one are nothing compared to the shouts of many." I find that statement to be very profound! It is so true how we hang everything (especially our self worth) on the criticisms we receive, and we laugh with disgust at the compliments.

Bullying is one of those things that has been around for generations, but yet has proven to be more and more destructive over the years. Bullying has gone to the extent where kids don't feel "safe" anymore. Safety isn't just about being physically safe, but there are many aspects to safety that we often over-look. Emotional, spiritual, intellectual, psycological, and some others that are very important too but I just can't seem to put my finger on them.

I remember being bullied in school for being different from my classmates. Some of my classmates and I are still friends because they loved me for who I am. Others disconnected themselves from me and even had some hateful names they used to call me that over 20 years later I still remember. However, bullying when I was a kid was just part of the growing pains. Everybody went through it, and everybody was affected differently from it as well.

October is anti-bullying month, which I am glad that we have. It creates an awareness of our own words and actions to others and it hopefully helps improves the way we treat each other. There is a difference between liking someone and respecting someone. You don't have to like someone, but you do have to respect them. For example, I don't like cell phone companies. I think they are awful and retched!!! They freely take your money and then when you have a problem with your phone or service, all of a sudden they can't help you and they transfer you seventeen times before you end up with the original person you talked to who still insists they can't help you. However, just because I don't LIKE cell phone companies doesn't mean that when I go into a cell phone store that I have a "right" to tell them what I think and how I feel.

I know there are much worse examples than the one I just gave, but I don't want to get TOO deep with my blog posts. I would hate for there to be some kind of expectation to my brain barfs because then I would have to actually think about and prepare for my blogs. Rather than just diving in and seeing what my brain wants to say and what my fingers want to type.

Let us ALL remember October for being anti-bullying month and let us all be more aware of our actions and their consequences. Together, we can kill all of the bullies with kindness!! Wait a minute... was that a bad analogy?