Published on 12, July, 2020
I joined here around 5 months ago.
Since that time it's come to mean different things to me.
I think sharing experiences is invaluable but equally invaluable is the honesty I find here.
It's a place where we can talk about shared experience /our emotions/difficulties in a way that's impossible in the 'real' world - or at least if we speak about it there, it's unlikely to be understood.
It's a place to connect in a world where we often find connecting difficult.
I've received some PMs recently that have made me focus more on how very important this community can be to us as individuals.
Luna RIP called this her 'forum family'.
As a person who doesn't seek friendship (?or thinks she doesn't?), some surprising and valuable friendships have evolved from here for me.
How about you?
After being assessed and diagnosed in the dying months of 2020, I joined the forum in January 2021, aged 67.
Initially nervous and hesitant, my confidence improved and, although not numerous, posts signed Ben began to appear. Many of the members from that time have, for reasons of their own, quietly departed without so much as a goodbye. I fondly recall one early poster confidently informing me, after I had had a meltdown, that the best way to deal with my recalcitrant printer would be to throw it from the window of a twelfth floor flat! "They don't like that" she assured me, knowingly. Resisting the urge to do just that, I filed her advice into one of the more remote areas of my brain (of which there are many) and dumped the offending printer into a large skip at my local recycle centre. Probably much less satisfying, but rather more advisable.
As I now drop into the forum much more frequently, I have learned a lot from the numerous threads, including, most importantly, that I am certainly not alone.... There are many others like me in this world, all facing similar challenges and bewilderment. Blimey! who knew?
I have now been here for two and a half years and have gained some confidence in posting, but have still to disclose to anyone in the outside world. All in good time though, eh!
Now, where is that cake that DeSpareaux speaks of? I'm ready for some.
Ben
.....with thanks to Debbie for starting this thread.
It has yet to be made..
Here's some!
Ayy..