Steffi and Everyone,

I am guessing that many *****sponded were not even sure to whom you were referring. What got to many of us is that the words that were said.  Most of us have had to put up with a lot of cruel comments for much of our lives.  

I do understand that when we feel hurt and anger towards others we get a sense of satisfaction when we feel that person has been avenged.  Most of us have experienced this. We are all entitled to our feelings.  We feel what we feel.  But we need to be very careful about what we say out loud and what we write on all of these public forums.  

Many of us are still struggling with emotional issues regarding body image and all other weight related issues. We are works in progress.

It has saddened me to see all the different factions that have come from a group whose purpose was and still is support for ALL those in need.  I can't say any of this surprises me because I watched cliques form and exclude others starting way back when I went to meetings at Shauna's and Heather W's houses.  I am old and wise enough to know that of course there are going to be people who have more in common and will form closer friendships.  That doesn't mean it doesn't make one feel bad if they become excluded.  The problem exacerbates when various cliques flaunt how special they are.

In conclusion, let's all think before we act.  Not every thing has to be said out loud and in public. 

 

 He's a handsome man, too,..... wish he would show his face  

Steffi, thank you for your apology.

I made no assumption about who you were referring to. It doesn't matter.

Whatever the intent, you are the one who used the words "high school mean girl" and "smug." No other person attached those words in a judgemental way. I for one was unaware that the phrase "mean girl" had such a storied history at Barix. I was responding only to your use of the term in your post.

Your remark was made publicly, so the feedback was also public. The "call out" came almost immediately in Thursday's thread, with several wide open invitations to apologize....no response from you until today, in fact.  

Lessons here for many of us. Some difficult to learn and digest.

I believe - and hope - that the PA OH community will hit the "reset" button and focus on successing and supporting one another.

 

Congratulations on your 4 years!!!!!!

Steffi;

Thank you for addressing this.  I appreciate that. 

I know the reason did not reach out to you personally and call you on this (as you suggested above) was because I did not feel safe to be able to do so.  I felt safer once Lynn started a conversation.  As I stated I did a lot of research and soul searching prior to writing.  As I have continued to reflect on this today I realized when I read the post I felt as if the post had reached through the computer kicked me in the stomach knocking the air out of me.  Again thank you for addressing this, I truely appreciate you for doing so. 

Ida