Pat, there have been times when your thoughtfulness has bugged me, BUT most of the time I envy you your ability to step out of the "self-isness" we all tend to get into.

You've given me a personal nudge here and I appreciate it! Being a member of a support site, you've reminded me that I do need to offer that first hello of support. Like you, if I can't think of anything to say, at least acknowledge that I read a certain post.

As for the "cliques"... if that's what they are, there's no way of avoiding them. In a large community, people are going to gravitate to others of like-mindedness. I'd like to see that fact ACCEPTED instead of making it something it's not. My experience with "cliques" in high school or anywhere else for that matter, is that new members are NOT accepted or are publicly shunned. We don't do that here very often. The only time I've seen it happen is when someone really difficult to handle comes in. No matter how much support they receive, they continue with their "Yeah, but...!!"

Pat, speaking strickly for myself, first let me say that I really like you... IN SPITE of your "strange posts," your requests that I acknowledge a new member, etc. BUT what stands out far and above any of this, is your THOUGHTFULNESS and KINDNESS to those "forgotten ones." YOU, my dear, don't allow them to be forgotten! Thank you for that! Thank you for nudging us and making us aware that there are others who are in pain, sometimes greater than our own.