I love these boards because they help me feel like I'm not alone in a very personal struggle. So I want to thank you, everyone, for the community we create together.

That said, I have seen some hostile and mean posts/responses recently and this is really disappointing and hurtful to see. I know everyone has their own issues, their own opinions and their own ways of doing things. However, we ALL have to respect and hold each other up with kindness. I'm not saying we should sugar coat anything, but rather we should come from a place of empathy and understanding while giving ideas, support and community to one another. Why would we want to make this journey any more difficult for anyone than it already is.

Amen.. I agree with u totally. There is absolutely no room on this site to be disrespectful.

I think it requires being mindful that posting words on a forum does not (usually) convey the non-verbal communication actions, and words can certainly be mis-interpreted which then leads down a path of mis-understanding and hurt feelings. So much communication these days is in the typed word instead of actual face-to-face interaction, and we lose the subtle non-verbal body language cues as well as tone, pitch and amplitude of the human voice. The age of social media is truly a double edged sword.

I have been thinking lately about the art of communication, and I believe a reminder that there is another person behind the pixels on the screen and not just typed print. We need to be cognizant that our words have power. It is up to us whether it is the power to hurt or power to help. I think these forums are a godsend for many, myself included, and provide a wealth of information at every stage of our process, and I want that dialogue to continue. Namaste.