How sometimes when you got something serious, or a personal crisis going on in your life, that sometimes some of the people that you'd least expect to show you concern or sympathy, are the first ones to do so. This has really been the case with me ALOT lately, and I find it inspiring. I find it sad though that some of the people I'd expect to be the first to comfort me, have been the last, and in some cases, haven't even been there at all. Sometime's people I'm just casual friends with seem to show more concern about me, more than even my own family, (With the exception of my mother, who's always there). So it's kind of mixed feelings. You feel good that people you never expected showed concern, yet you feel hurt that the ones you most expected didn't. That's kind of how I'm feeling right now about a couple things. I even got an email the other day from someone who I thought saw me as an enemy, and she told me how much she cared for me, and how much she'd been praying for me. Suffice to say, this person was the last person I ever expected to hear from, and I was really touched. People are just interesting sometimes when you really think about it. All my friends here are awesome though, and you guys have time and time again shown your concern, and that's what I love about SO. Pretty much everyone here I find to be cool people. :cool: This truly is a rare place. Anyway, I thought this might be something that some of you might be able to relate to.

I've noticed that a few times myself, Brad. Sometimes support really does come from the people you least expect it to.

It has happened to me a couple of times. Two years ago I was going through a family crisis and two relatives who I wasn't really close with offered advice and comforted me.

I've had it happen. Just this past year actually I found more help from strangers or people I hardly knew than from the people I thought were my friends or family.

I think sometimes when it's something really serious, the ones who are close to you are as freaked out as you are and just don't know how to handle the situation. It does hurt though when the ones you thought would come through for you don't at all.

Weird the way that works, but when people you dont expect come to your aid when you are going through something; then they really care about you, otherwise they wouldn't bother.

I've found this applies to my offline life. People have let me down miserably in every way possible. People I was incrediblly generous with in every way, with time, money, etc. On this site, I can call it. The ones who don't pay attention to me on this site, are sarcastic with me, who are people who clearly don't care if I live or die - those people don't come running to my aid in a crisis. I saw this in a big way with my step-daughter's prayer thread. Some real creeps couldn't even put aside their differences to offer a prayer for a young woman with cancer. I always post on threads that serious, regardless of how I feel about a person.

The only time I don't post on someone's thread is if they constanly post about their problems. It just wears me out, and I figure they'll get plenty of support, and they do. My good friends here have my number. They can call me, and I'll spend three hours helping them. They know this, so what's a couple of sentences on a message board going to do. I've got friends who know I'm going through a huge medical crisis, yet it hasn't dawned on them to send me a get well card. I am in debt to nobody, regarding being there being there emotionally.

I've had it happen. Just this past year actually I found more help from strangers or people I hardly knew than from the people I thought were my friends or family.

I think sometimes when it's something really serious, the ones who are close to you are as freaked out as you are and just don't know how to handle the situation. It does hurt though when the ones you thought would come through for you don't at all.

I agree that does happen. I admit I'm guilty of sometimes not helping or knowing how to handle certain problems with friends and family.

I've found this applies to my offline life. People have let me down miserably in every way possible. People I was incrediblly generous with in every way, with time, money, etc. On this site, I can call it. The ones who don't pay attention to me on this site, are sarcastic with me, who are people who clearly don't care if I live or die - those people don't come running to my aid in a crisis. I saw this in a big way with my step-daughter's prayer thread. Some real creeps couldn't even put aside their differences to offer a prayer for a young woman with cancer. I always post on threads that serious, regardless of how I feel about a person.

The only time I don't post on someone's thread is if they constanly post about their problems. It just wears me out, and I figure they'll get plenty of support, and they do. My good friends here have my number. They can call me, and I'll spend three hours helping them. They know this, so what's a couple of sentences on a message board going to do. I've got friends who know I'm going through a huge medical crisis, yet it hasn't dawned on them to send me a get well card. I am in debt to nobody, regarding being there being there emotionally.

You're one of the very few friends I have who are always there for me, whether you're feeling bad or not. You're the same person who's stayed up until 5:00 am, while going through tremendous pain, yet still talking to me on the phone. The same person who's always buying me cards, and sending me prayer blankets, and the various other things you've done for me, all while going through tremendous trials and tribulations. You're the person that would stop what she was doing on a dime to take someone's phone call, just to help them through their problems. You're the exact opposite of the friends I brought up who don't give a damn about you when you need them most. And about the card thing, you got one coming, along with something else that I hope you like. :)

As far as what happened to you when your step-daughter was going through her crisis, that was just down right disgusting. I don't care how much of an enemy a person is to me, if they need my prayers, especially in a crisis like that, they got them. If people are going to let politics or some bull**** like that get in the way of showing their respects, then quite frankly, they're just sick people, whom I have no respect for!!!

And I agree with what Cathie said. Sometimes people don't show their support right away because they're shocked, and have no words. It's like I told you Janice, when I heard the news of your step-daughter, I sat at my computer sick for the next 15 minutes, with no idea what to say. More recently I received an email from you, and it scared me so much that I had a mental breakdown, and almost had to be rushed to the hospital that night. That's how much I care about you.

The kind of phony friends I'm talking about in this email are the ones who show little or no sympathy at all when you're going through hell. For example, I was online the other day, and I told someone who I thought was a close friend about having to be tested for diabetes. You know what her response was?? Nothing, she started talking about a different subject entirely. Those are the types of piece of **** friends I'm referring to in this email, and I'll NEVER have respect for them again, but you can damn well bet that they'll still be in my prayers when they're in a crisis!!!