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?
This forum allowed me to know Debbie, Luna, Mark, and Rebecca. So there's no greater place than this.
Some of the best people I've met was here.
There really is no better place. We are lucky to have this. I miss you, Steven, L, Rebecca, Mariusz, Trisha, Dawn, Mister... the list could go on and on.
We've had some amazing people here. I treasure this time with all of you.
A couple of the names mentioned by Steven are still here Nata, although possibly wouldn't be obvious due to Steven inadvertently not using the usernames they are more commonly known by.
Out of the members on your list, L (I assume you're referring to Luna) is the one that stands out, due to the tragic circumstances that resulted in her no longer being active on these forums, which I don't think any of us had seen coming.
She was given a section 2 because of her rubbish family who are all anti-autism but she's doing ok, better mentally now. But she is blinded now so she won't be back here again, sadly.
I am sorry to hear that happened with L. I hope she's doing better now.
Sometimes though it is nice to see an old name return for a time like Kate Kestrel, you for example... TS... I always enjoy it when you come back
Luna's death came as such a surprise. Even now I feel sad thinking about her. I didn't know her as well as Steven did but her death hit me hard all the same.
L is a different member, she was regular here a while ago but she struggled mentally and I last heard of her from TS and she had blinded herself more less with bleach after a schizophrenic episode which I also found extremely upsetting. She's ok now but I don't think she'll be here again.