With A Little Help From My Friends

"What would you do if I sang out a tune?
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song,
And I'll try not to sing out of key"
- The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends"

Today I was ambushed. Nazz Lane asked me to be inworld to talk about a project we have been discussing about Twitter. Luckily, I was able to wake up in time and get inworld, although it was close. He asked me to go see something of Trill Zapatero's and he TPed me there.

What I found was a party; a party for me. Nazz, Trill and millay Freschi had plotted together. So many good friends were there. I had trouble keeping up with IMs, gifts and chat because I was crying and it was hard to see the screen or keyboard; I was overwhelmed with emotion.

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Because of my recent health problems, I've been kind of crabby and depressed lately, and not inworld much. I also was trying to get over my admittedly-childish post about the logo and... just falling back into my old shell again.

The friends who came also know that the whole time I have been in SL, the last 3 years, my life has been tumbled and upset and ripped apart and I have not been at what I think of as my best as a person. I have not lived up to my own idea of my "best ability" and it is also a constant source of worry to me, letting my friends down by not being able to give them the "best of me."

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So this party was just overwhelming to me. I don't have much of a family in RL; this community is what I think of as my family. I believe in this medium and in these worlds for the betterment of humankind; that people can find family and community and work and play and love together despite differences in age, location, gender, race, creed or lifestyles; that this medium of communication is the most important invention in my lifetime. It is why I have spent over 20 years on the nets and why I think that's worth putting life-energy into.

Today, these friends showed me such beliefs are not in vain. They gave me a gift more precious than anything: to know that they care about me irregardless of my status, my station or my mistakes; to know I had friends and family. I haven't had much of that in my life and it is a treasure to me worth more than any material thing. I know that a few stayed up past their bedtimes to be there, or came especially when they aren't usually in SL (like White Lebed).

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For once, I won't go on and on (i know huh? Rare moment; appreciate it while you can!) I can't; there aren't enough words to say how much meaning this had for me. 200 lbs just fell off my heart :) My love to my friends who came to MisoDay:

Nazz Lane, Trill Zapatero, millay Freschi, briawinde Magic, Mommaluv Skytower, Jayjay Zifanwe, Maiko Yheng, Wizard Gynoid, Isabella Alphaville, Alizarin Goldflake, White Lebed, Coyote Longfall, talkwithmarie Resident, Vaneeesa Blaylock, orb Thursday, Ormand Lionheart, TeuffelHunde Mandelkorn, Inae Indigo, soror Nishi, Casondrenee Whybrow, FreeWee Ling, brinda Allen, Reezy Frequency, Mik Frequency, Indigo Lucerne, Skylar Smythe, shellina Winkler, Petey Karfield, Zayra Ametza, Taralyn Gravois, Razzap Snookums, Scottius Polke, Fuschia Nightfire, Scarp Godenot, Aletheia Lyre and Zayra Ametza; pls forgive me if I forgot anyone, I was crying (happy) half the time and missed a lot :)