Ladies of NEY! Today is my one-year anniversary of joining TK and getting involved in this board. What a great year it's been! We all see a ton of posts where people critique this board quite fiercely, so I just wanted to post all the warm fuzzy things I feel about NEY for this occasion.
-When I was a serious newb, maybe posting for a week or two, I had some family stuff come up late one night. I decided to just post a vent, not really expecting anyone to respond to it, and went to sleep. When I woke up the next morning, there was so much love and well wishes from all you internet strangers. I was so touched by how you all reached out to me and comforted me during a time when I felt absolutely alone. I will never forget that.
-You were all so. frickin. supportive during my break-up. I went from having this guy who I really thought I was going to marry, to realizing that even though he's a stellar person, we were not right for each other for life. It was a very difficult time for me, and you all made it actually bearable - and probably prevented me from making some huge mistakes like trying to go back to him. Reading and re-reading your posts of encouragement and advice, and all of the PMs several of you sent me, was truly one of the huge things that reminded me to trust myself and my decision. 6 months later, I KNOW it was a good one, and I thank you for keeping me accountable and helping me be strong. I feel so much better now that I've been through the heartbreak and uncertainty of that decision, and you all got me through.
-In general, this board makes me think hard about the content of my thoughts and how I choose to present it. Although in the beginning I was a little intimidated by this board, I have never felt attacked or dismissed, and I have learned so much about how to communicate what I think in a firm but non-offensive way. I've also learned that opinions are good, but evidence to support them is better. I really enjoy the discussions we have on this board, like @audrewuh's recent post on schools in TX, and I look forward to participating in them in the future.
-Y'all are just very welcoming. I love how, when someone takes a moment to introduce themselves, you take the time to ask questions and get to understand what they're about. It feels so nice to be noticed and encouraged to share yourself with the group.
-I really enjoyed meeting some of the East coast NEYers in January!
-Probably a million other things I'm forgetting.
This is gonna be a bit of a post-and-run since I have to go get my hurr did in a little while. Just wanted to send each and every one of a you a HUGE hug. It's been a great year of getting to know you all.