I’m not really sure that anyone has noticed, but this hub community is pretty tight-knit and caring, so I do suppose someone has said, “what happened to that wordy chic, Madison whats-her-name?” Well, I do love writing here. Mostly because the response from other writers here is so encouraging.

As almost everyone who knows me or my work already knows, I lost a precious daughter in 2007. I’ve written many articles about grief, the loss of a child and other related subjects; as well as other pieces that span the spectrum of crazy random ideas.

I joined Facebook sometime back, just to keep in touch with an old friend. We met at a party after years of not seeing one another, and she said, “keep in touch.” So, I said, “how?” She told me she had a Facebook page and that’s how it all began.

I’m not into social networking. It’s lovely when I meet good writers here and a few I’ve formed a cyber-friendship with. We have a mutual respect and I care what happens to y’all, but socializing just to socialize, I don’t have enough time for. So, I joined Facebook, then realized that this channel had some real power.

I decided to start a “grief” page; not dedicated to my daughter or to me and my whining, but to be there for other parents who had lost a child; especially a child in adolescence, or an adult child. The response has been really rewarding. I’m not talking thousands or even hundreds of people, but a few souls, who, like me, just need to talk to someone who gets their situation now and then.

It has become a bit like having a child to me; I need to be there, to be sure that if any of our friends need help or an ear to listen to them on a particularly bad day, that someone answers their call. It often means to contact another member who is close to that person and who knows them well enough to offer a hand.

It has been a time-consuming project, this page of mine; ours, actually because it wouldn’t work without all of the people who hang out there and help--but it has become one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done. I’m not a shrink or a therapist of any kind, but often, when people are in trouble or in pain, it just helps to have another person say, “it’s okay to vent; I understand what you feel.”

I know I need to get back to writing soon, but sometimes life comes first. So, I will soon post some of the 5 or 6 unfinished articles that I’ve worked on and put them up here. Meanwhile, I’m doing fine but if you have a minute, could you just send some good vibes to some friends of mine who have lost a child and maybe are in pain today? I know THIS community here at Hub, above most others I know, will understand.

And one more thing; the next time someone says something about how the internet is scary and full of sleezebags, not to mention a waste of time, would you please tell them to read some of the hubs here by Pam or Dazy or…geez, I could go on for another entire paragraph with the name of some fine writers and wonderful souls who write here.

Also tell them that there are places on the net where people can find help in their most dark days and that these sites are dedicated to helping others find their way and to heal their pain. Spread the word. Thanks!

This is most definitely NOT and ad for my work on Facebook as I write there under a different name!