Bringing People Together

Christmas is about bringing people together, but this isn't about Christmas. I'll save that for a few weeks from now!

A while ago I was given the opportunity to continue my WL program and be paid for the success of losing the rest of my weight within one year.  The catch was that I had to give up WW. That's right, no online contact with anyone from WW, no tracking, no points.  But I had to pay for a registered dietician. And there was no guarantee they would use my story or that I would get paid for it.  The only support I could get was from family and friends, and I couldn't blog, write, talk and do anything publicly about my weight loss. I declined - A few of my family members and friends wondered why after all, we could all use $5K.

I started online in 2009 and I have met many people online since starting this journey. I have had ups and downs, no different than anyone else and there are several people who have held my hand, and we have shared laughs, ideas, joys, sadness and successes and a few of us have become friends on other online avenues to become more supportive of each other.

Of all the people I have met online at WW, I have met 2 people. One lives in the same town as me, the other only 3 hours down the road.

So tonight I came home and received a wonderful package from an online WW member.  This package had a gift for me and another member who lives in the same town as I do.

How thoughtful is that! A gift that my local friend and I can share. This will make us get together before the holidays to enjoy a run together. And share stories.

I can tell you it means so much to us that a person we have never physically met is thinking of us and touching our hearts with such a wonderful and thoughtful gift.

This forum brings us together as sisters (and brothers). From coast to coast we are brought together by one desire - to lead a healthy lifestyle and are bound together by the bonds we build and share in understanding, encouraging and thinking of each other and chatting online. Some inspire, others guide, others keep it real, and everyone always encourages us.  The reality of it all is that we all want each other to succeed. I am pretty sure the registered dietician won't care if I am having a crappy day - as long as I follow the food plan they give me and for a small fee as well. Where are the meetings? Where is the personal connect? For sure it's not with the stranger who will check up on me every two weeks by email and maybe a call if I don't respond!

I looked at all the options and even sought advice from my husband, family, close friends. While I like to share my story, I cannot turn my back on my friends for a shot at $5K. I listened to what people had to say but in the end I realized that I couldn’t drop off the face of the earth and not be able to come to a community that has helped me become the person I am today.  We'd have better luck winning the lottery.

Hence the title Bringing people together!