This Crazy Community

When I started this crazy little thing called blog, I thought that I would write and people would hang on my every word just by the virtue of their existence.

Okay, not really.

I thought my friends would read what I wrote and say "Oh yeah. She's being cranky again." and that's about as far as it would get. As I got more comfortable with the things that I was writing, I wanted more people to read them. I have a more than full-time job, so my time to spend marketing and making connections was limited. I went to Twitter thinking that I would post some links and probably get bored with it pretty quickly.

That didn't happen.

I'm a Tweeting fiend. I never thought I would want to spend so much time talking to relative strangers considering how much of an introvert I am in the real world, but some of these strangers have become good friends. It's a beautiful community of people who just want to not suck at life, and who appreciate the encouragement from Joe Schmo from Tupelo who they've never seen in reality.

Through my Twitter meanderings, I came across this strong group of brilliant women who work together to solve parenting issues, bitch about the day-to-day and swap recipes and horror stories. I don't really fit in because of the lack of offspring, but they have welcomed me anyway and offered support when I needed it. It seems like everyone I've met knows everyone else I've met, and they're all equally as awesome.

There is a point here, I assure you.

On Friday, December 14th, one of our own, with the rest of the nation, felt the hurt of terrible loss. Victoria (@Vdog) had her sense of safety violated, her family ripped apart and her heart broken. We were hurting as a nation, but in that dark time, I was amazed at how quickly a string of people from all over the country came together to, well, get shit done. Anything she needed, this community was on. 

Things like this: JetBlue Letters. Things like major companies responding to single tweets and offering her whatever she needed or like PayPal responding to tweets for help with donations. When someone bought the domain name in the name of her nephew, some communication with GoDaddy got that fixed right up, and then they purchased the domain name for her and transferred it directly to her. Her friends and followers shared links to PayPal accounts and foundations that were set up for Sandy Hook victims and their families. 

We worked together. We hurt together. From across the country, we cried together. 

If you had told me this silly little character-limited social media site would offer so much heart, I never would have believed you. 

Even in the face of this horrible tragedy that we will never recover from, there is kindness. There is kindness from relative strangers who quickly became family. 

For that, I am so, so thankful. 

If you want to help out the family of Noah Pozner, one of the 26 children slain at Sandy Hook and nephew of Victoria, you can do it at www.noahpozner.com. You can also use the hashtag #LoveForNoah on Twitter. If you have any questions about how you can help, feel free to contact me, and I'll get you in touch with the right people. 

And, as always, it hip to be square, kids.