Community

Without much fan fair I have unrolled a new community website. If you scroll down the right hand menu you will see the community link. There you can post your own stories, talk with others in our forums, read up on depression or medication in our encyclopedias or check out our humor and inspirational stories sections. Community is one of the things we all need to help confirm what we already know, we are not alone.

Knowing that, and REALLY understanding that can be two different things. My medication has me on a more or less even keel. Work is still physically demanding and I am frustrated by the hours but I can deal with that. What I miss most is not having that one or two real friendships. I have a few Internet friendships but not any real brick and mortar friendships. I know that Internet relationships cannot truly reach the same level as the brick and mortar ones but they are (in my mind) better then no relationships at all. The Internet is also a way to bring back relationships from the past. I have invited some key friends that physical distance prevents me from having an ongoing brick and mortar relationship with. The Internet can allow them to enter in and to share my current life. Community I think is a good word for it.

What can you do to help the community. First register. Its simple, its free and its safe. You do not have to give your full name or email address to anyone but me, others will only see your screen name if that is what you wish. Let others know we are here. One easy way is if you have those in your life who you have a difficult time communicating your struggle with your disease, just have them read my log. I am not a perfect spokesman for depression. I struggle everyday with the very things I write about. I live on a day by day basis, and most of my days are filled with work and struggling to stay awake and keep up my medication. Those three things consume most of my day.

I am slowly adding in the creation of a solid internet presence. With the creation of Rampant Lion Web Design. With my reworking our churches website, and creating a website for a youth organization in Northern Wisconsin. This has allowed me the opportunity to build this community. My prayer is that God will build the house. Why do I want the community to be a success? Is it so that I can gloat with my own pride? No. I want it to succeed because I need it, and I know there are others out there who need it. Others need a place to go, to talk with those who know what the struggle. I need a place to talk. A part of me needs to know that someone is reading my words, someone is hearing what I have to say. I don't need to everyone to agree, I do need to be heard.

Mostly prayer with me that God will bless AVFMW and its community.