Edited to remove the name of the member whose post starts with "I feel your pain." It's a great response, and I thought it deserved a second reading.
ORIGINAL--------------------------------------
Generally, I stay out of the fray, but I have some time while my tea is brewing, and for some reason, I feel compelled to respond. So…...
If you are still "listening," I'd like to share my thoughts.
People are different and have different ways of responding. Some people read the post and grab onto one little aspect that really isn't central to the question. Others can't resist going off on a marginally related tangent. Some people don't bother reading for detail and miss important elements that make their answers less than useful. BUT….this should never negate the useful parts of their posts, AND this should never overshadow the many other posts that offer so much assistance.
Sometimes, there are some rude responses, but that is part of life. It's something you can't control. It can also be very subjective and open to interpretation, so again, why let that get in the way of ALL THE GOOD STUFF?
No two human beings agree 100% of the time on every aspect of every issue. The wide range of human variability is far too great for that. Think about it. Do you agree with your best friends or your spouse, or your family members all of the time on EVERY single thing?
Even the people on this forum I seem to be 'in sync' with most of the time still have different takes than I do on certain topics.
Over the many years I've been here, with each passing year, I have come to really value the differences in the range of responses and have learned from just about everybody….even the very people who share polar opposite views than I hold on some pretty important issues. These differences help me to see things from other perspectives, and even in the end, if I still disagree, it reminds me, once again, how varied we are, and that not only is that okay, it's just the way it is.
I do know some of the people here outside of the forum. The first is the mom who introduced me to MP many years ago. I've known her since our kids were in preschool together. She's not on much anymore, though.
The other member was a very dear friend of mine. She lived across the street from me, and we didn't realize we were both on MP until we started talking one day. Sadly, this dear friend passed away last April. She and I didn't always agree on everything, but I loved her dearly and miss her like crazy. I learned so much from her.
Because so many of us have been here for so long, there are some moms here I feel I know, although we've never met. I can pretty much tell before I see a name who is writing the post, and sometimes, before I read the responses, I predict who will say what. I've got a pretty good batting average there. : )
There are SO many here I admire and respect and look forward to "seeing" when I check in. I know there are a few who'd be friends in real life if we lived nearby. And yes, a few where I roll my eyes. But that, again, is life.
There is so much more good than bad, so much value here, IF you can learn to sift through and find what is HELPFUL to you. Not always what you want to hear, but what will HELP you with your issue. I hope you are still reading. And if you are? Please go back and read XXX X's response. It really gets to the heart of this matter.
Take a break from MP when you need, and come back with a fresh look and open mind. I think, in time, you'll be glad you did.
Wishing you the best.
J. F.