One Year

Last year I embarked on a journey that has been simply amazing. Up until last year, I was an active lurker. That probably sounds like an oxymoron, but it's the best way to describe it. I was an active poster with a few friends and that was it. There were other members that I wanted to get to know and befriend, but I was too scared.

Making friends, just talking to people has never been easy for me. It stemmed from lack of self-esteem and insecurities. Growing up, being teased, I guess, made me hesitant to put myself out there. You don't get hurt if you don't try, but not trying ends up hurting you anyways. I wanted to change that. I wanted to stop being on the outside looking in, to change my experience on TMF.

In a span of a year, I did just that. I took control and I made an effort to get to know people. As difficult as it was for me, the rewards were worth it. I made so many new friends that it's amazing. I have more people to call when I get a chance. I have regular random Skype chats with a group of friends. People I send Christmas cards and birthday cards. It blows my mind.

On top of that, I'll be attending my first gathering (MTP) in September. I originally planned to make Bella's my first, but plans changed and I'm still going to try for Bella's.

I've grown considerably, in ways I never thought I would. I still have my moments, my insecurities. God knows I've hit my fair share of rough patches over this past year. Learned who my friends are, dealt with a former troll's attempt to mess things up between a friend and me, and overall improved my experience on TMF.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's that you can't wait for things to happen to you. Sometimes you have to take the bull by the horns and ride. If you want to make friends, you have to take the chance and send a few PMs or VMs, something to get the ball rolling. You won't know until you try and trust me, it'll be worth it when you do.