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Can a 150-second video change our society’s perspective on life – specifically, the life of people with Down syndrome?

If so, we now have that video.

Called “Dear Future Mom,” the now viral video shows 15 people of various languages with Down syndrome speaking into the camera, addressing a pregnant mom who is carrying a Down syndrome baby. The mom, we are told at the beginning, is scared and wondering, “What kind of life will my child have?”

So these 15 unique individuals – each created in God’s image – tell her.

“He’ll be able to speak and tell you he loves you,” one smiling girl tells the camera.

“He’ll be able to go to school, like everybody,” another one says. Continue reading →

Perhaps I should have seen it coming. My 5-year-old son and I were getting on our bicycles, preparing to take a leisurely ride down the road, when he gave me an ultimatum.

“Dad, don’t get on your phone one bit.”

A dozen things entered my mind. Can I go 30 minutes without looking at my iPhone? What if, during one of our stops, I want to check my email or look at the latest news on Twitter, or even open the Weather Channel app when I see that dark cloud on the horizon?

“OK,” I said.

So for 30 minutes we rode down the road, had a pleasant time, and I survived.

Humans always have had distractions from the more important things in life, but I sometimes wonder if smartphones — through the marvel of technology – have compiled every distraction into one handy handheld device. They’re tiny portals into the entire world, with a seemingly infinite amount of possibilities.

Continue reading →