Be kind to each other.

**Insidious** · 9th February 2022, 12:14 AM

Hi everyone.

I lost a friend this week who was taken way before his time was due. This circumstance is not unique to me, indeed, it will have happened to many on the forum.

I've been very fortunate in terms of how my Brain is made / how circumstances have shaped me in the sense that I have never hidden my issues and always found it easier to be up front with them. At times I am sure my transparency and/or some of my ticks, mannerisms etc will rub folks up the wrong way, which is absolutely fine as we can't all get along all of the time.

But we can all be kind. Although other people aren't, for want of a better word, my responsibility, I always wonder (when I lose someone) if I could have done anything more, or if they could have done with that extra little chat.

Whether it's the loss of a loved one, someone being unwell within the family, the loss of a dog or whatever, most of us will have gone through it at some stage. Some of us will cope well, some of us won't. Some of us (even if they won't admit it) won't have expressed how they felt to their fullest capacity due to fear of being perceived to be "soft" or being brought up in such a way that men must always be stoic and "just get on with things" and thus suffer silently.

With that in mind, I wanted to let anyone and everyone know that they are always very welcome to drop me a PM if they need a vent, as sometimes that release and a willing ear can make the difference. I may not always reply immediately as I have my own issues, but I couldn't in good conscience not at least offer my ear in case anyone needs it. One or two users in here in the past certainly offered theirs to me and I hope I was able to reciprocate fully.

Life is short and we all have to make the most of it. If anyone wants to use this thread as a space for a bit of music that got them through a tough spot, or wants to remember a friend via a story/memory or whatever else then that may not be the worst use of server space either.

In short, my door is always open, there are human beings at the other end of the keyboards when we chat/debate/argue in here, kind words / restraint when angered go a long way.

I really hope everyone is as well as they can be this evening. We're a good lot in here. Be kind to yourselves and each other.