This forum family....

[danadog56]

So, I have just been reading a bunch of posts and it hit me like a ton of bricks just now.....
we cry with each other although most of us have never met in person, nor will we ever...
we laugh with each other about our experiences on and off aruba
we depend on each other to tell us how things are going on the island and in our personal lives
we ask each other for advice and encouragement for good and bad things alike
we even offer to help transport things/animals for each other

many people do not have the luxury of people close to them to depend on for these things we take for granted on this forum....
for so many obvious reasons.....WE ARE FAMILY....and I depend you the forum many days to get me through.....it may be getting through a bad day
or it may be that I need quiet time to see how everyone else if coping or I might just be counting down the days to my next trip to our island.
Whatever the reason is.....Thanks for being there to see me through !!!
I love you guys !!!!!
Michele

[Jacki]

So true! We trust each other which is so odd for many of us! I look forward to all of your posts to keep me sane during the day!

[Pegmeister]

That's really sweet! I certainly agree with you. When DH, Tom was listed for transplant every one was there for me and when we got the call and he had his surgery I felt everyone celebrated with us. It's a special group!

[Aruba4ever]

Nice message, it is a really nice group on this site.

[DiviDiviFan]

So true, and yes Michele your post today made my day a little better which was needed greatly. I have been on both sides of trying to lift someone up thru hard times and now depending on my friends on this forum to do the same for me and my DH. Pegmeister has been a true angel keeping in touch me me and my DH's journey as well as my brother's. Andrea, although I have never met I feel like I know her so well and she is also an angel who I know truly cares. I felt uneasy asking for prayers for my husband but Peg was thoughtful enough to do so for me. I am truly thankful for all my forum friends who send well wishes for all of us needing them.

I also find happiness daily reading everyone's posts and trip reports and counting down with them towards their next trip.

[Andrea J.]

So many of you are awesome and wonderful folks and it is an honor and a privilege.

For those of us that pray I ask we all keep each other in our prayers.

[cpjones]

Wonderful thoughts... thanks for taking the time to share them.

[brady bear]

So very true... a little old lady was told me "strangers will sometimes treat you better than your own family."

[AUA1989]

I can't recall all the times I've said, "There's someone on the forum that...." and it has made me feel happy, sad, concerned, envious (mostly when someone is counting down their trip) or made me count my blessings.

But, this made me think: Those of you with kids that were born in the 90s will understand with me why the plethora of information we give out on forums and other social media sites these days is against what we taught our kids as youngsters. In the late 90s, early 2000s, when our kids were young and the internet and social sites were still fairly new, we endlessly preached to our kids: Do not give out your name or age, where you're from, what school you go to, where/when you'll be on vacation, the sport you play, your jersey number, your friends' names, your make of car, and on and on and on. We pounded into their brains not give out ANY personal identifying information at all. Here, we give names, a general idea of where we live, vacation times, employment info., etc.

That being said, we're a trusting bunch and it is nice to have a sounding board with people who probably don't have a stake in our dilemmas, but are willing to help and seem genuinely concerned.

[FBS199]

Couldn't have said it Better !! Thank You.