The Big Screen

Long time, no EWO? blog post! Please forgive us, but we've been really busy with all kinds of Ears Wide Open? related projects. Let us fill you in a little ...

The t-shirts many of you have requested are in the works! An artist is working on the design, and we've got the production company lined up and ready to go. It looks like the price of the shirts will be around $15, with about $7 per shirt going to charity (depending on shipping costs). In keeping with the Ears Wide Open? project being completely nonprofit, all proceeds beyond the cost of the shirts and shipping charges will be donated.

Requests are rolling in for permission to share our video with larger audiences ... we even received one yesterday from New Zealand! Since the EWO? video is public domain, permission isn't required for groups to show the video. It's certainly nice of so many to ask, though, and we deeply appreciate you helping us to spread the word that life is worth living and it really does get better!

Finally, Terrie was invited to attend a showing of the video at a church this morning. When the video ended, the congregation rose, faced Terrie and delivered a standing ovation. Terrie's words following the service, "It was humbling and affirming at the same time. Several came to me after church and told me their own stories. The message is reaching people, and it's helping them. That's the goal, to help others who are hurting."

Keep on forwarding ... keep on sharing ... keep on helping to save lives!

Just be you. Awesome you!
 

What We Give

Morning, Sunshine!

It's a beautiful sunny day, and the temps are springlike at last. That means that summer is right around the corner, and it will soon be time to break out the shorts and t-shirts. Which got our brains churning here at Ears Wide Open?, and we've got a question for you. If we offered t-shirts featuring one of the lines from the video, would you be interested in purchasing one? We've gotten a lot of messages asking about the availability of shirts, and so we're exploring the possibility. 

But here's the twist ... we want to donate the proceeds to charity. We'll have to cover the cost of the shirts and shipping, of course, but the additional income will go to help those who need help. Because remember, that's our mission here at EYO? ... to help those who are hurting and who need our help.

So drop us a line and let us know if you think the t-shirt idea is good or bad or in the middle somewhere. You can email us at earswideopen.tdj@gmail.com, or send us a message via the Ears Wide Open? page on Facebook, or leave a comment here on the blog, or hire a plane and write it in the sky, or MESSAGE ELLEN and ask her to tell us. Doesn't matter how you contact us (except the whole Ellen thing would be so very awesome!), but please let us know your thoughts.

Happy sunny day, and remember ... Just be you. Awesome you!

 

You Never Knew

Lots of folks have written to us after viewing Ears Wide Open?, and many of the messages share a common theme. The theme of changed relationships, altered perceptions, unfair judgments.

"After I came out, people treated me like I was a completely different person. It was like overnight I turned into some horrible, evil person who didn't deserve to be loved. It was almost as if any good I had ever done to help others was forgotten or ignored because I said I was gay. People I thought loved me said terrible things to me or distanced themselves from me altogether. I am the same person I was in the minutes before I came out. I have the same heart I always had. I can so relate to the card in the video that says, 'I am not a bad person,' because I'm not. I'm not a bad person either. I'm gay. I haven't changed. Those people loved me until they found out I am gay."

To those who've experienced the same types of reactions, we think this photo speaks to how we at Ears Wide Open? feel. Just be you. Just be awesome you.

  

Shine On

Be You!

We've gotten so many amazing messages from folks who are watching and sharing Ears Wide Open?. And so many of those messages are from people who are trying to find a way to be who they are. Young people who are just beginning their journey of life, and older adults who have been on the road for many years. 

For those of you struggling with how to be the you that God created you to be, we at Ears Wide Open? would like to say ... JUST BE YOU! AWESOME YOU!

Keep On

You Are Never Alone

Read All About It

Sorry we're a little late in letting you know about our first interview concerning Ears Wide Open? with Out Impact, a great online publication that is making a positive impact in the community. 

We'd love for you to check out the article at outimpact.com and let us know what you think!

Are You a Unicorn??

Think