Salgrunkshire: Let Somewhere be Here

The recent suicides by gay youth in the word are significant and senseless. That`s how a friend described it, and I believe that`s accurate. These deaths shed light on something we can and should do something about. And the result is both elementary and seemingly impossible. All we get to do is be tolerant to each other. Why can`t we do that? No matter what your beliefs are on religion or religion, as fellow travelers on the planet we owe it to each other to be kind, don`t we?

Oh, I know I`m being too simplistic. But what`s amiss with that? As one of my favorite musicians, Elvis Costello says, "What`s so queer about peace, love, and intellect?" When senseless tragedies like this happen, it hurts all of us. What do you do with those feelings?You could do what I did this morning, and watch video after video in the "It Gets Better Project", started by Dan Savage. These are videos of adults sharing their stories and liberal encouragement. The content is simple and powerful: survive this difficult time and there`s so much more out there for you; it gets better. You rise up and draw a life, and you can be healthy, and happy, and loved. When I watched the video stories of these adults, some famous, some regular people like me, I was moved by each one. I cry at commercials so it`s no shock I needed tissues to observe these.It`s a message all youth need to see at one meter or another, but especially those who look so overwhelmed by what`s happening to them right now. Those being bullied or feel unique and can`t see beyond that. In the video of Dan and his partner Terry, Dan mentions the song "Somewhere" from West Side Story.You can listen to a beautiful interpretation of this by David Habbin who played Tony in the UK National Tour of West Side Story.Or (for my daughter) this one by Josh Groban and Charlotte Church. Why can`t that day be now and why can`t that home be here_for all of us?Monday is National Coming Out Day, and I`m reminded that in my youth, in college a friend came out to me. Truth be told I had a smash on him at the time, so it was seriously disappointing! But I believe on some point I knew. And I felt privileged that he chose me to tell. Like most college friendships, we drifted apart once we graduated and I make no idea where he is now or what his spirit is like. My surmise is that like me, he went on to get work, find love, and make a life. But I believe that experience did so often for me as I came to bear many gay friends as an adult, and it set the point for me to see what we all had in common; a want to be loved and recognized for who we are. I don`t actually know where I`m going with this. It`s only one of those times when I make a lot of emotion in me about something, and experience the want to get it out. How have these recent suicides affected you? What do you do with those feelings? Some will demand action, like the multitude who made videos in support of the "It Gets Better Project". And there`s "The Trevor Project", with confidential assistant for teens struggling with these issues. Whatever we do, I`m working on having "somewhere" be here, for all of us.