How has this forum changed you?

[Daniel]

That's what I'd like to know.

For myself, I can say that the frisson with various members has challenged my presumptions and clarified my thinking on things I thought I knew or didn't know enough about.

As always, it's been about ideas and people. And the later have been foremost in my mind. I see that it's only when I've been able to have a 'meeting of the minds' that subtle and profound changes have taken place. And I'm not merely talking about finding someone who agrees with me. That would be too simple.

For instance. Today I learned- or was re-minded - about the need to stand in one's own truth. Or as my friend Zerbie phrased it from something her yoga teacher taught her: "Stay on your own mat!"

She re-minded me what I knew but forgot: that the truth of all things- and I mean everything- is inside us. All we have to do is have a bit of courage and start looking. We can't find what we're looking for outside of us, in books, the opinions of others, or even our lovers eyes. The truth is nowhere but within each of us.

Seek and Ye Shall Find.

Thanks kiddo.

Now. What have you learned?

[Zerbie]

[QUOTE=DanielThanks kiddo.

Now. What have you learned?[/QUOTE]


Waaaaaay more than can fit in an internet post. And probably far more than you can guess at.

:D :) :rainbow: :love: :pray: :love: :rainbow: :) :D

[Mia14]

I've learned that there are other people out there like me - passionate, gay, and mostly open-minded. I'm learning to share myself, but also to choose my words carefully to best express my thoughts while trying not to offend or leave room for misunderstanding.

It's definitely a learning experience.

I'm also learning to proof-read!! :)

[NathanATX]

This forum has helped me raise the bar in my own life... if that makes any sense. There are some awesome people here.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
-- Maryanne Williamson

Many of you on here shine so brightly... and I know I have "turned up my flame" as a result. :) :D :agree:

[NonLemming]

It has offered many points of view different from my own, which is always a good thing if one is interested in growth. ;) I enjoy the way that the regulars think.

[Emproph]

I think I’ve learned more about myself and how better to relate to others. Every time someone responds to something I’ve said I get the chance to see how well I expressed my points across, whether it has to do with the seriousness of the subject at hand or just sharing irreverent humor. I get to see better what’s effective. And then those observations about how my words were taken and by whom roll around in my mind, kind of like Zerbie said in another thread, I often think, what would so and so do or think about this.

So whenever I see and hear our dearly beloved spewing their vitriol, and oh so often, so innocuously, I remember all the things that everyone here is also going through and realize I am no longer alone.

And knowing that, gives me the confidence to continue to take that next step, again and again and again, to continue loving these people and seeing them as myself for the purpose of...


...for the purpose of continuing.

[Vanessa White]

What have these forums brought me? Nothing that I expected, because I really had no expectations, not having participated before in anything like this. It has brought me many friends, as I feel connected to so many of you because of the types/level of discussions here. It has brought me to a greater understanding of how the other person may or may not feel about something I say/do, or a belief that I possess. It has also helped me to seek and to find in even greater detail, as Daniel talked about, my own truth. I feel better about the person that I am and have yet to become. It also awakened the activist buried deep inside myself. I have not seen her face, or more importantly, heard her voice, in way too many years. And all of those things that have come to me from the forums are not because of the forums, but because of all of you who participate in the forums. THank you to all, and Peace, Vanessa

[Zerbie]

Well, Daniel PMed me last night and was like, C'mon, reply to my thread, so okay, here:

Like Vanessa, I didn't have any expectations of this forum, as it was brand new so I didn't know what it would be like, at all. I joined the first day it appeared, and frankly,:lol: I only joined so that I could get a free copy of the Walter Wink book. :lol: Then kinda assumed I wouldn't come back and post anymore (wowza, that'll make ya laugh if ya look at the number of posts I've made, a number I wish would go AWAY b/c I'm feeling guilty for hogging bandwidth :o ).

The truly tremendous service this forum does for me, part of what keeps me addicted and coming back here 2 or 3 times a day (I can see it now, 12 step groups for SF forum addictions :rolleyes: ) is the way it smooths out my dreadful relationship with all things Christian. This is apt to press Awediot's buttons, (sorry Awediot, I'll skip over the deets). Let's just say my opinion of Christianity was not high. It was a yogi who some years ago introduced me to what Christianity is *really* about, and learning a little about it that way, I developed respect a profound awe and reverence for Christ. Thanks to the yogis. No thanks to the Christians, sadly, at least not from the exposure that I had had. :(

Til now. :) Many of you are practicing Christians, and being able to relate to you and find your lives rooted in love, compassion, and adoration of the Divine has been an utterly transforming experience. Sadly, I was shocked to find that you existed. Quite some time ago Nathan posted something (I've since forgotten what) that was SO loving, compassionate, and divinely inspired all I could post back was "If I thought more pastors thought like you (Nathan) do, I would go to church." Finally I am able to hear the word "Christianity" without recoiling in horror. Finally I meet Christians who are.

Because of the volatile nature of what til now I wasn't sharing, I wasn't going to respond to this thread. I hope I haven't utterly pissed anyone off. :o But anyway, that's IT. It was very hard to say, and now I'm having trouble hitting the 'send' button.

[Rick336]

I was raised in the South where men don't cry. I was taught that shedding tears is a sign of weakness and that only girls cry. So all my life I've had a very hard time expressing emotions of sadness. If there was ever a situation that made my eyes tear up, I'd quickly try to think of something else to take my mind off the situation.

Last January I went by myself to see Brokeback Mountain. At the end of the movie, no matter how much I tried, I couldn't stop the tears. Thank God the theater was dark and I was sitting by myself away from others. As people were leaving I stayed behind so that nobody would see my red eyes. Finally I got up and left the theater with my head down as I made my way to the car and home. I would have been very embarrassed if anybody had seen me leaving the theater like that.

Then, last Friday night, my cat Randall was hit by a car and killed. I picked him up off the street and carried him to the house in my arms and laid him down on the porch. I went inside and fell onto my bed and cried for half an hour. After eight years of his unconditional love he's suddenly gone forever.

So what did I do after I finally got up and dried my face? I came onto this forum and told you guys about it. I barely know y'all. But from what little I did know, I knew I'd get the words of comfort that I needed. And I did.

And now I'm telling y'all how much I've cried from losing a pet.

So finally I have comfort in knowing that I got a place to come and tell y'all stuff like this without fear of hearing, "Damn man, get a grip. He was only a cat!"

And that's how this forum has changed me.

Rick

[awediot]

It has encouraged, confounded, enlightened, stupified, bored, entertained, pissed off, flabberghasted, riled up, embarassed, convicted, given confidence, taken it back and set me a little freer to be what I am.

I was new to forums myself and my first posts here got you all scrambling and I don't think made a real good first impression. (remember the little "violent" picture of Bush flipping the bird, which I defended by chop and glueing all your 'more violent' statements as examples of what I considered violent? Made me super popular right off the bat...) That both toughened me up and toned me down a bit. And gave me a new understanding toward the concept of a "community" that forms in such forums, how they interact and come to eachothers defense. I have since taken those lessons elsewhere as well and spared you all some of my more contraversial thoughts... It is interesting to have an anonymous yet personal outlet and support system such as this.

Numerous times I have been surprised to have some of the principles of SF rise up and soften my rough edges in just day to day living. Other times specific things someone has said returns suddenly and moves me in a better way... It has both stirred up an activist drive in me, but failed to point it in a productive direction. I have learned to expose a few more buttons for Zerbie to push, and coralled my tendency to push the buttons of others. My beliefs have been strengthened, adjusted a bit and broadened to accomodate a little more than they used to.

I also have often bitten my tongue a tad too much, silenced myself to frequently, let too many posts slip by that angered me a little and underestimated many of your abilities to defend yourselves, take some well meaning criticism and fire right back at me with no serious damage done. I feel I have also done the opposite, expressed myself poorly, caused some hurt feelings and been more fearful than I need of your judgment, keeping my private life too guarded.... But most assuredly and with out question, I have talked about myself and blackened the 'I' key enough for one post...

All said and done, you guys are a wonderful, inteligent group I am glad to be a small part of...

[Emproph]

kind of like Zerbie said in another thread, I often think, what would so and so do or think about this.Like that frosted wheat commercial from the seventies:

The Emproph in me wants to rip his heart out, but the Joe Brummer in me says to love his guts..

[NathanATX]

Like that frosted wheat commercial from the seventies:

The Emproph in me wants to rip his heart out, but the Joe Brummer in me says to love his guts..

I totally identify. :)

[tdogg]

Oh Rick, that's so sweet and touching, and tears in my eyes...

From a free cryer to a not so free cryer, it's not easy to cry even when the crying comes easy. I'm learning that my GF is okay with it, it doesn't make me a juvenile loser, and it actually makes me feel better after I can breathe again.

Hugs to you, especially after losing your precious Randall. You can come cry on my shoulder anytime - freely and without embarassment. :love:
:

[tdogg]

The Emproph in me wants to rip his heart out, but the Joe Brummer in me says to love his guts..

I know exactly how that feels!! Luckily the Joe Brummer in me usually wins out - if not, I make myself 'walk away' quickly and quiety!