So many worries and tragedies here lately

[goldberry]

Thank you, Cat, and agreeing with everything said...

 

Some of the tragedies lately have been so sudden...it just keeps reminding me to treasure every day.

[Cindy in FL.]

Thanks for putting this into words, Cat. This forum does allow us to have something we could never have IRL, and I am grateful for the breadth and depth of knowledge and experience contained here. Also, there's just some really awesome folks that it is a privilege to get to interact with.

[Mommyfaithe]

For once in my life, I have been speechless. 😰. Just whiplashed and speechless. No words ....

[texasmama]

I've met two people here IRL other than two other ladies who are members that I knew first IRL. (Aubrey and Halftime Hope) I made plans once to meet Joanne IRL, but our plans fell through when my ds became ill and we left her area early while visiting friends.

 

I am not friends with any of you on FB, but if you really want to be my FB friend, just pm me and I will give you my real (gasp) name.  I posted a picture of me wearing my new purple converse today so it's a good day to friend me.  :)

 

Some of you are so real to me that I see you in my head even though I've not ever seen a photo of you or met you IRL -  and you all look fabulous.  :)

[Snow]

Yes, these boards mean a great deal to me. As EL and texasmama said, you all are very real to me and you mean something to me personally.

 

When my kids are out of control, I think of some of you who have tough kids and feel less alone.

 

When I pass by some crazy person at the library, I start writing a post in my head since I know you all could appreciate it.

 

When I feel overwhelmed, I ask myself what would so-and-so do here?

 

When I think about my life and the kind of person I am becoming, I think of many of you and am inspired to be a more grateful, loving person.

 

And of course, who else can I ask at 1am whether the chicken I cooked five days ago is safe to eat?

[Amira]

I have to agree that it's important for me to have this online community. I only ever live in a place long enough to create fairly superficial friendships and I have to rely on the Internet to maintain and deepen those after I move, or to find completely online friends who care about the things I do. Internet friendships can be very real.

[dhudson]

I agree, Cat. I use this forum as a place where I can go and find opinions and options that I can't find anywhere else. It is also a place I can go and laugh, because if one can't laugh at the great Crockpot debate or if we put our shopping carts away, what can we laugh at?

 

The people here may not be known to me irl but I allow them to come into my home and speak into our lives. I am greatly saddened and pray for those whose lives have been irrevocably changed in the past weeks and heartbroken for nmoira's family. I am grateful for the community here, in good times and bad, it is a place we can come together.

[kbutton]

My kids and I just spent half the day with a board friend and her son. I first met up with her IRL at a convention a few weeks ago.

 

I really appreciate all I've learned on this forum, and I really enjoy getting to know everyone. That sounds kind of uptight and reserved, but you all have said it much better already. I have a heavy heart for those who are experiencing tragedy, illness, and great stress, but I'm grateful that so many of you are willing to let us all know what you're going through.

[AngelBee]

I am not on here much anymore, but have been heart sick and praying about the losses in our community.

[Only me]

This board means so much to me. I can't begin to tell you how comforting it is to have so many people that I don't even know irl helping me through this past month with my mom dying. I've been on this board for very long and it has helped me in so many ways but this past month really showed me how much people really do care. I know that people are going through even a tougher time than me but really at times this past month I don't know what I would have done without the extra support. Being able to post something in the middle of the night for me while I was feeling scared and lonely and knowing I would receive support felt like a lifeline.

[Lizzie in Ma]

Beautiful post Cat. 

I've been here a long time.  You guys have been a source of help, humor, and friendship unlike anywhere else.

I think of so many of you often, I am blessed to be FB friends with some of you and I will never forget getting used to real pictures and not the avatars I knew you by for so long.

I cry with you and for you, I pray for those who ask, I keep track of my days with Jean and everyone who posts in the "tackle" threads.  I laugh with you, commiserate with you, learn from you and love you all.

So, thank you.

(and I ran out of likes today!)

[MysteryJen]

I have lurked on is board for forever (10 years..) This board is the single most important resource I have used in my homeschooling and parenting journey. The high school board scares and inspires me, the learning challenges board encourages, and the chat board has taught me so much and made me laugh so hard I have cried.

 

All of you, especially the longtime posters, have a special place in my heart and are in my daily prayers. "For the intentions of the well trained mind boards."

Blessing on all of you.

[Wildcat]

I just wondered how many of you have met another WTM boardie IRL? Also, if something happened to you, is there someone who would let the other boardies here know?

 

I met one boardie because I happened to read a post of hers that she was going to a conference I was also attending, so i sent her a PM and we met briefly.

 

Not me. :sad:

 

I don't think I would be missed if I suddenly stopped posting. It's my own fault, though, as in my efforts to remain anonymous I have severely limited myself while posting, so nothing truly personal has been said. Therefore, while I feel I 'know' many people here and feel their joy and pain, I am not 'known'.  I have bought, sold, and PM'd several people over the 8 years I've been on the boards, but nothing more has come of it. There are a few threads going on now that I have written replies to then deleted (even on this thread) because it shared much more than what I am comfortable with in such a public place. Between wishing to remain anonymous to those IRL who read the boards (but who aren't actually 'friends') and the fact that I'm an introvert who sometimes wishes she could 'take things back' once they are said, I wind up deleting my posts before I hit submit. It's a very lonely place to be!

 

I have often thought I should sign up for a FB account just so I could be my jovial, witty self and share my thoughts and ideas with boardie friends, but I would have to befriend the many people here on the boards who I would love to hang out with, but then I figure the only way to do that would be to PM individual people and go "hey, I would love to friend you on FB, will you be my friend?" and how pathetic is that? :tongue_smilie:

 

If something happened to me, I have instructed dh and/or the kids to log on and make a post, but as I said, I doubt my absence here would be felt. Still, I hate to leave things unfinished, so I would want them to make that post anyway. :coolgleamA:

[Wheres Toto]

I haven't met any posters IRL (almost!) but I do have quite a few as Facebook friends. 

 

This board has done a lot toward making me realize homeschooling was something I could do, and gave me a community to ask questions and share with.

 

It's been very sad here recently but I think it serves to remind us that there are real people behind the names/avatars. 

[happi duck]

Not me. :sad:

 

I don't think I would be missed if I suddenly stopped posting. It's my own fault, though, as in my efforts to remain anonymous I have severely limited myself while posting, so nothing truly personal has been said. Therefore, while I feel I 'know' many people here and feel their joy and pain, I am not 'known'.  I have bought, sold, and PM'd several people over the 8 years I've been on the boards, but nothing more has come of it. There are a few threads going on now that I have written replies to then deleted (even on this thread) because it shared much more than what I am comfortable with in such a public place. Between wishing to remain anonymous to those IRL who read the boards (but who aren't actually 'friends') and the fact that I'm an introvert who sometimes wishes she could 'take things back' once they are said, I wind up deleting my posts before I hit submit. It's a very lonely place to be!

 

I have often thought I should sign up for a FB account just so I could be my jovial, witty self and share my thoughts and ideas with boardie friends, but I would have to befriend the many people here on the boards who I would love to hang out with, but then I figure the only way to do that would be to PM individual people and go "hey, I would love to friend you on FB, will you be my friend?" and how pathetic is that? :tongue_smilie:

 

If something happened to me, I have instructed dh and/or the kids to log on and make a post, but as I said, I doubt my absence here would be felt. Still, I hate to leave things unfinished, so I would want them to make that post anyway. :coolgleamA:

 

I totally understand/relate!