I would like to add that I never disagreed with Ian's advice. I just held issue with some of his choices in words. I did not feel he was devaluing SMW, but I did find some of the comments to be invalidating.
I just want to clarify that I took no offense to anything said.All is good with me on this.
The bottom line is this for SMW, yes, this is a place for her to vent. This is a place for her to receive patience and understanding. This is a place for people to understand and validate her pain. We all have pain..... However, this is also a place to here constructive criticism. It is also a place where sometimes tough love is practiced. It is also a place where people learn that they have a choice what advice to take and what advice to cast aside.
SMW and I have posted to one another back and forth for months now in different ways. I have a great deal of respect for what she has done and all that she is going through so please do not believe for one minute that I think she is a whiner or am saying she is making to much of this. What happens on these boards sometimes is we watch our friends (of which I consider SMW) and we simply want to help them find happiness. We do not like standing by idly while they suffer. Sometimes we stand up for each other when it is difficult to see while you are in the storm.
SMW, I stand behind what I posted to you and I hope you didnt take it as me not validating you. I feel your pain. I also only want you to be happy and strong. That is what matters to me. I am in no way trying to minimalize your situation, I am just trying to point out some things that I am seeing and have seen over the last few months.
