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As usual, Kathleen, I look forward to your posts as a voice of measured reason. I wish we could all learn to listen to our inner calm and reflect on the possible effects our words--this, as yet another alert for vigilence in the greater world is being issued. -----Original Message----- From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Kathleen Cochran Sent: Monday, October 29, 2001 09:29 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: loneliness, PD, politics, et al., etc., undsoweiter In her last post, Olga mentions loneliness...I'm sure this touches many of us who feel lonely with this disease for various reasons. One way to not feel so lonely is to share a joke or a personal story. Another is to think and communicate about the larger world, which can be energizing and also puts our illness in a somewhat different perspective. While the nominal raison d'etre of the list is to facilitate sharing of PD information, and that is a reason why we all signed on, IMHO the greater purpose is to create community. As in any community, there will be people we are drawn to and those we avoid, meetings we choose not to attend, and times when we need a break from the whole thing. Certainly clear subject headings will help guide our choices of what to participate in. It's also easy in this virtual community, as in a real one, to hurt each other's feelings inadvertently and, conversely, to take offense where none was intended. As I see it, each post is just a snapshot, reflecting what someone was thinking and feeling in that moment of writing, but because the list is not "real time," we miss many nuances of mood and emotion, and we don't get to really listen in the way that we could face to face. We don't know why people write what they write when they write it, but I think it's safe to assume that whatever they say, it arises in some part out of a need for connection, whether it is to share a laugh, to vent, or just to feel alive. I've been on a few listservs, but none so vital and connected as this one. Long may it wave. Pax nobiscum, Kathleen ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn