I haven't been here really...In a while....I was too sensitive in my heart...But i got some very good help here in the past and I once in a while drop by. Everybody changes here!<P>I just love this thread! Good going Sheryl! (may I call you Sheryl?)<P>FYI...I have met a couple of people here who I know I will be life long friends with. Tonight I am meeting one of those people at a James Taylor concert, Here in Saratoga NY. For the first time she will actually meet one of my kids (30 but still my kid).<P> And I have emailed often with one of the others here. Who truley is close to my heart now...we have helped eachother through a very fragile time. Kicked one another in the back side when needed...he has made me laugh more than I can tell you...and with a word has reduced me to tears...more than once. We rejoice in each others accomplishments and supported ea. other in times of need.<P>Real People???? I'd say so. <P><B>HEY...idea....can we start a thread where we upload actual pictures of ourselves??? Maybe that could be your next project Sheryl</B><P>I am so glad I stopped in today!!!! Thank You ALL!!!D2K

I am not like alot of you, and yet I am so much like many of you. I found this site out of my own needs for help, but now am drawn to it and have found myself wanting to help others. I don't know if my advice is ever as sound as the long time MBers, but my life experiences are many. My heart is big, as are my shoulders, and thanks to so many of you, I have found my way out of the fog and now see who I am and have a more clear direction than ever before, and all from people I had never known or met. I am drawn to this site everyday in search of helping others, seeing how my friends are doing and letting them know that they are never forgotten. I have, in some ways, closer friends here than in my *real* life, if you know what I mean. Some of you know more about who I am and what I feel and think than those that call themselves my friends outside of here. Thank you all for your words of wisdom, your caring, and returning each day to fill our lives with your love. <P>PS..I liked the idea about posting our pics...it would be neat to have a page (and I would volunteer to make such a page if you would like) that tells of who we are, realizing that anonymity for many is of the utmost importance. I could post a pic and use only a screen name from MB, and not anyones real name. It is a suggestion, and if you would like...You can send a pic to trueheart42@hotmail.com. There will be no personal info on the pics, or if youd like to include your email, so others could contact you if they need your help, suggestions would be most welcome. (Just a thought...lemme know what you think??)<P>Have a great day!!<P>*Out of our greatest fears, come our bravest deeds!*<P>Trueheart

Just want to add to the comments----I have only been posting and reading for a month or so and I do not feel a close friendship with many here. But what I feel is support. My home is the loneliest place in the world for me now since my H's A. I sit here many nights (all night sometimes) not knowing where he is or who he is with and have found support and the thoughts and pain of others have held me together. Who can you call at 3:00 a.m.? How many times can you call your Mom or your a friend or even talk to a counselor before you feel their weariness with your obsessive feelings. Here everyone is obsessing cause of the pain so it is a SUPER place to go for venting, sharing, helping and finding some understanding and you will never feel the weariness of some face to face discussions with people who are not in the same place. I have one other friend right now who is going through H's A and divorce and she is just like these posters here. Always available and full of understanding. But how many of us can find people in our community who are going through the same struggle. <P>Also there is no fear of gossip here cause you do not know anyone I know and I don't fear that you will hate my H. So this is a safe place for me. One good thing about the internet is you control the time and how much you want to vent or listen to others which brings an element of control to an uncontrollable situation. <P>Shedawg, you just don't seem to be in the same place as many others here so you may not be connecting as others do. Why do you post and read here? If your marriage is good, is there not a post for marriage building without the element of affairs? You could probably be real helpful there more so than here. BUT maybe this is a place for you cause there needs to be some healing from your A with X? Only you can be the judge of that.<P>One other advantage to posting for me is that I can communicate my feelings so much better in writing than I can verbally. So this and journaling are great avenues for me to express myself. <P>I appreciate, too, all the courage and steadfastness I see in the people here. It is refreshing while living in a world where no one goes the narrow/hard road....It puts my faith back into human beings to see the blood, sweat and tears here.<P>Thank God for the ways he provides for us through whatever instruments is available.<P>{{{{{{{{{{{{{GOD}}}}}}}}}}}}}<P>We are all learning and growing or we wouldn't be here looking at ourselves and our lives through other's experiences. That is so commendable and I admire people who will look within and change.<P>You are all very special people,<BR>TW

As much as I like {personally} the *idea* of putting our pics on here... it makes me {quite honestly} a bit nervous... in my case, I don't know why it should, since I have shared waaaay more than enough personal info than many, and I am so not annoymous! <P>What do you guys think? Maybe we'll begin another thread about it, whaddya think of that?

tossed, you mean from my X"S A and not from my A with X right? <BR>Truthfully, his A didn't bother me then and it surely doesn't bother me now, it was pretty much a nonfactor in mylife.<BR>But you're right, I should post someplace else because what could I possibly contribute since I have a good marriage.<BR>

Hi Sheryl!<BR>Hey Bren!<BR>And everyone.<BR>If it wasn't for the real people at MB I'm not sure where I would be now. I have talked to several of these wonderful people over the phone. Almost got to connect with Samantha in person.<BR>I always wanted to be able to help others here. Unfortunately my situation wore me down so that it seemed I had nothing positive to say. I still check on my friends and those who have no idea I exist. Sometimes I try to post and can't because of where I am.<BR>I love you all and thankyou for being here. <BR>Prayers for you always.<P>------------------<BR>wassi

Hi Nyneve,<P>I definitely have a face!<P>Sometimes it looks like this: <BR>Sometimes this: <BR>Sometimes this: <BR>Sometimes this: (firestorm's least favorite)<BR>Sometimes this: <BR>And sometimes this: <P>BUT it is a face that is always thankful for MB and the friends I have made here!<P>I read the idea of the pictures, but I like my own "pictures" better, I think. I have an idea in my mind of every one of my MB buddies. Ironically, all are attractive, intelligent, and full of lively fun.<P>There are some MBers that I feel that I already "know", and a few that I truly hope to meet in person one day (I'm still up for that whole girls at the beach thing, BTW). Some days my MB friends saved my sanity and gave ME the strength to save my marriage!<P>Each and every person here is very real, and the situation that brought us here is real. We are ALL here because we have problems and needs, things much greater than can be solved with a couple of sarcastic, thoughtless comments. We need the loving support of real friends who care about us and our lives. There are people on this site who care about me and lots of people that I care about. They are real friends to me, even if I never see them in person, and I feel lucky to have them!<P>Peppermint

Besides ditto-ing everything said by the others here I want to add soemthing I have learned.<P>People who say online friends aren't "real" or aren't "friends" are people who aren't into pursuing new and close relationships with other people.<P>The reason we consider each other friends and real is because we care-not just for ourselves but for others as well.<P>I have made a few very good and very close friendships on the computer-I usually can tell the difference between a phony and a real human.<P>And you my dear have helped me through more than a few rough times in the last two years.<P>BTW-I got one of those pigs from Carol-at the time it was a very difficult thing for me to ask for-the OW in my H's life collects pigs. But for me I needed that pig-to remember the important things in life.<P>I AM A FRIEND-ALWAYS <P>------------------<BR>*heartache*<P>"Life's A Dance<BR>You Learn As You Go.<BR>Sometimes You Lead<BR>Sometimes You Follow!<BR>Don't worry 'Bout What You Don't Know<BR>LIfe's A Dance <BR>You Learn As You Go."

Hey all!<P>Butterfly (Dawnetta) had a website that had pictures of several MB'ers on it. The original like was on the D/D board. I'll try to see if I can find it and pull it to the top. You would probably have to email Dawnetta and ask for an invitation since it requires a password. Plus you can post pictures of your own there! <P>Mitzi <P>P.S. Dawnetta is also getting ready to post some pictures from a D/D get together at VA Beach. Watch for it!! <P>

Hi, Hi, Hi!!!<P>You guys are MAKING MY DAY oh-so-much better!!! It's been a rough one ~ a rough week, really. THANK YOU!!<P>That day at the beach would be fun... and I've talked to more than a few MB'ers on the phone, lots of you on email, and okay, I would be remiss to not include the fact that I married one. <P>You all are wonderful

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Nyneve:<BR><B>Hi, Hi, Hi!!!<P>You guys are MAKING MY DAY oh-so-much better!!! It's been a rough one ~ a rough week, really. THANK YOU!!<P>That day at the beach would be fun... and I've talked to more than a few MB'ers on the phone, lots of you on email, and okay, I would be remiss to not include the fact that I married one. <P>You all are wonderful </B><HR></BLOCKQUOTE><P>I am very sorry to read you have had a bad week and hope it gets better for you soon. {{{Sheryl}}}

Ah Raskal, one of my FRIENDS....<P>Thank you for the hugs!!!!

You are welcome, my friend Sheryl.

Discovery2000, <P>I just did a re-read, which made me feel warm and fuzzy, I admit... <P>...and...<P>Just a quick note to you ~~ yes, please feel free to call me Sheryl

I'll try to chime in here.<P>I haven't been here very long. I read several of Harley's books before I found the website, and I lurked a long time before I ever joined.<P>But most of the people I've met here have been very giving of their thoughts, their feelings, their frustrations, themselves in a way you seldom find in the "real world."<P>But, I will say something that might be just a bit dissonent, with the rest of the posts. Because of the nature of this cyber-neigborhood, the friendships here, the support here, is fragile. I has none of the other things that friendships are based on, faces, bodies, mannerisms, interpreting us by our actions and not our words. All these things exist in the real world and don't exist here. We see each other as we present our words to each other. This is both a blessing and a curse. As a blessing, it gives us all a chance to think before we present ourselves, as a curse, it always leaves the lingering question, "If they really knew me, would they still like me?" I guess I'm saying nothing else here than what Harley says in his column on Internet romance.<P>I guess what I'm trying to say is that this is a wonderful place, and I am very grateful for being able to hear your thoughts and listen to you, and come to know some of you as friends. But we human beings will never find this a complete substitute for real, physical contact. The impotence of our position seems very real when we are trying to help SadAndAlone. She needs someone there, now, physically. We've tried, and maybe it will be enough, but there isn't a person among us who didn't wish that somehow they could be transported to the UK and be there with her. This is great, but it is limited.<P>I hope this isn't a downer of a post. I just don't think it is true that this isn't REAL, but by the same token I don't think this can substitute for physical presence either. It is something to add to our experience as human beings, not substitute for something else.<P>Ishmael

Sheryl,<BR>Thank you. You are in my thoughts.<BR> discovery2000_mb@hotmail.com <BR>D2k

Thank you so much to the oldies and newbies and the in-betweenies who added to this thread ~~ a thread of love and peace in the midst of some pretty negative stuff! and <P>You've all written lovely, lovely thoughts... <P>Hugs to all my friends,<P>Sheryl<P>PS -- <B>D2000</B>, you have mail.

I can't imagine where I would be today without my MB friends! <B>Real</B> friends are not defined by those in the flesh only. I have many acquaintances but only a handful of <B>real</B> friends!<P>I have met Discovery2000 face-to-face (although we missed each other at the James Taylor concert ) and I have been truly blessed with her friendship ~ my heart has been touched!<P>God Bless you all!<P>Karen<P><P>------------------<BR><B><I>RECOVER * REFOCUS * REGENERATE ~ BREATHE * RELAX</I></B><P>By Eleanor Roosevelt ~~<BR><UL TYPE=SQUARE><BR><LI>"People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built." <P><LI>"No one takes advantage of you without your permission."<BR></UL>

Oops - a dupe!<P> <BR><p>[This message has been edited by Free2BMe (edited July 10, 2001).]

Hiya Sheryl and everybody,<P>You know when I first got online about 21/2-3 years ago one of the first people I met was Survivor AKA No trust. We met in EMail hades due to the operating system of another site dealing with infidelity.<P>She helped me more than I can say and she introduced me to MB. Since that time I have made many friends online both on this board and through many others, and believe me the feelings I have towards my friends here are just as real and as strong as they are for my friends I have met in real life. I have shared more of myself here than anywhere else in my life. The good the bad and the ugly have all been laid out for for my friends to see. <BR>Sadly I have lost friends here (Glen and TiredLady ) and from other boards as well. <P>I decided a long time ago that a message board is not just a message board especially not MB ! This is a place to come and talk, to be with people who have felt so many of the things I have felt and who really do understand me. This is not just a message board, it is a community, and the posters here are not just faceless people behind a screen. You are my friends , my neighbors, people I care deeply for.