I'm glad you've come back - and brave post, girl! Though you & I talk mountains about each other's situations, I find that posting here helps to keep me honest as well as focused, and I particularly like getting the opinions and perspectives of our BB friends.

As you know, I totally understand the feeling of being ashamed to post some stuff. But I have come to see some new things in this feeling of shame, and one of them because of you:
(1) feeling ashamed tells me that I have an idea of 'how things should be' or some expectation that hasn't been met. I've learned to question those 'ideas' and 'expectations' and really pick apart whether or not they are True, Right or simply something I formulated without full consideration of other ideas, without being able to see another option.

And (2) Helping you through your situation these past month or so has shown me that one of my most 'shameful' experiences served a good purpose, a lesson for us both. I was able to work through some of my unfinished business from that time and realize that I could put most of it to rest AND help someone else through a similar circumstance. It helped to heal me from the shame by knowing that it wasn't just ME and that others experience similar disappointments and hard times. So, I want to encourage us both to keep posting and considering the wise perspectives that the board offers us.

And for all the times you were shown your propensity to find skewed cherries atop the wonderful sundae (thanks SD, we use that phrase all the time!), I want to give you a big Gold Star for your handling of things lately. You have shown much patience, much compassion of S. and IMHO are focused on resolving issues, not who's right or wrong, or who needs what more right now. Honestly, I have been impressed!

So here's a big hug for you and my future little student sailor girl you're carrying too!

-H2H