The Unexpected Gift from Facebook

Hey All,

It's the Queen of the Late Night Postings...lol, just kidding. Today, one of the coolest things that could ever to happen to me, happened. It was so unexpected and not something I'd even considered, but here's the story. A few months ago, I wrote a note attached to my Facebook profile, similar in tone to one of my recent posts on here, entitled "So Much Heartbreak, Not Enuf Time". The Facebook note, which you can read here, is emotional, but in it, for those who aren't able to read it, I wrote about my disgust with God in relation to events that had happened in the past, as well as finding a renewal in my faith via my relationship with my local priest. I also discussed Kevin's condition at that time, and while it was terminal, it was nowhere as bleak as it is now. I tear up when I read it, but not just because of the words and memories involved in it, but also because of what a relief it was to get that out of me. I can still remember the pain I was in before I wrote it, physical and mental. I came home, in a frenzy and sat down to my laptop where the words flew out of me. My hands were sore because I was typing so fast and I wrote it in literally about three minutes because all these feelings were about to erupt out of me, and I was feeling sick. When I managed to get the words out, I felt a lot better. Then I went and threw up. Not a great picture of me, I know, but I needed to mentally eject those feelings and then physically eject them too, I suppose.

Anyway, I got the most touching message on Facebook today. I won't go into the details of the note, but it was from a young woman named Diane*. Diane wrote me to let me know that she had experienced a similar circumstance to what I'd been going through and what I am currently dealing with, and how my words helped her find an answer to the question we'd both asked ourselves, "How to go on? How to not hate God and not feel as if the world had turned its back on me?" She relayed some of her experiences and was very open in her words, and I was amazed by some of the things she said, just because they were so painful, without even knowing Diane, I was so proud of her for keeping her wits about her, even through the darkest days. She said in the note that we didn't know each other personally despite being Facebook friends and that she just randomly found me and my profile and my note. 

Honestly, if I could share what she wrote, you'd probably have ended up in tears like I was, but I definitely will not violate her privacy by doing that. Let's just say the girl has not had an easy life and some of her circumstances, well probably all, would have brought people to their knees. Anyway, I ended up in tears because I never would have imagined my need to share my feelings with everyone and no one' actually helping someone. It made me feel so proud that I could do something like that, that I could reach out to someone via a computer, and actually affect them, help them and make a change in their life. I told her, and I'm telling you guys, I will never forget that moment and the following feeling for the rest of my life, and I will love her always for letting me know I helped her and allowing me to experience it firsthand.

*name is changed

The point of today's blog is to make as many connections to reach out and help someone if you can, somehow...if it's a blog that you get published, if it's a volunteer effort like working in a soup kitchen, donating blood or helping with a voter registration drive. Something as small as helping someone learn how to use a computer or set up email or simply reading to someone can change the way people live their lives. Since I've received Diane's email, I've decided to make a huge effort to help out as much as I can, blogging or any of the above efforts to help in small ways...sitting down and actually making it part of my routine. Hopefully if this job prospect works out, I will be tutoring children in the fall...and helping out will become part of my daily repertoire.

*Ashley Robin*