I am going to stick my neck out here.

Hello Everyone, I've thought deeply about this for awhile now and wrote this post out ahead of time. I told myself I wasn't going to add to the chaos anymore, but it's very stressful and depressing for me to keep it inside. I know many of you have no clue what has been going on. I DO know, but do I understand it? No, I don't. A person chose to take issue with me and a few of my friends and then filled up the message board with derogatory posts. Yes, I felt attacked and felt the need to post my feelings at that time, because to this day, I still do not understand what prompted that person to act in such a manner. Maybe my posts are not quirky or funny. And maybe I don't come off as being a sweet and endearing person. But, it is very hard to actually know someone's true self without seeing and hearing him/her for yourself. Because of that, despite most people saying they weren't "taking sides" in the matter, sides were taken by default. It appears to me that little effort was made to understand the situation from both perspectives. Most responses that were made TO the "woeful poster" were made IN SUPPORT OF the "woeful poster". And by virtue of the fact that almost no one responded with any type of support for the few of us who were singled out, it leads me to believe that we were automatically viewed as the ones who had DONE wrong. It seems as if no one even considered the notion that we may have BEEN wronged. Perhaps I, too, could have initiated unsuspecting posts to garner positive and/or sympathetic attention for myself, but I chose not to. I like to stay real, and I am a person who is inclined to stand up for myself and people close to me when I feel I've been dealt a bad hand. No, I know that this is not what the website and message board are about. I am here to be supportive as much as the next person, but that's a bit difficult to do when you're pulled into a soap opera; and yes, I allowed myself to be pulled in (which I am not proud of). No, this is not my family, but I do have friends here... some who mean a great deal to me, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I believe people should be able to use this site (or any other for that matter) to fill just about any void in their life that they need it to fill. Personally, I don't take offense to being referred to as a "heffer" because I know nothing bad is intended by its use. I am sorry that it is offensive to some. Now that I've said my piece, I hope people can try to understand where I am coming from here, and I hope now, that we can put the drama to rest and just continue to make it through each day the best we know how. And perhaps we can "get by with a little help from (our) friends". Sincerely, Tanja (a VERY tired "SMO Sister")

Tanja, I'm sending a (((hug))) your way too. Myra

Thank you so much Loris for saying this! I think that everyone should be able to come here for support and I honestly have no clue as to the problems lately but I can say I've been coming here since they started this board and lately I've not been on for fear of offending someone or have others feel I am taking any ones side. I've not been asked to take sides, but that is something I wouldn't do anyway. I'm here for support and to get support. I've had a few rough spots with my surgery date and some other changes and been really depressed about it and wanted to come here and gather support from others who may have been through the same thing, but I didn't. I have enough in my life that I don't need the drama, I do however want to offer support to others and get support from others regardless of who they are. Oh well just my .02 cents. Have a great day! Anita

THANK YOU !!! LORIS !!! I want to open by saying I LUV U ALL !! OK... lets all live and learn. GROUP HUG !!!