Thank Gaia

It's been a while since I was reminded of my good fortune, stumbling onto Zaadz/Gaia when I did.  I was recently emailed to re-establish my ambassador status for Gaia and I am so happy that I was given the opportunity in the first place because this is really the best site for bloggers that I've ever been on. 

In recent headlines today, I read about a young girl who commit suicide after being victimized by a "cyber bully", a woman who friended this young, impressionable girl, masquerading as a 16 year old boy, only to reject her. 

I shudder to think what her parents must be feeling right now.  I wish she had been here instead of myspace.  I cannot imagine that happening here on Gaia, ever.  This is the only place online where I don't feel hassled to buy, spammed to death, where I think my kids will be safe and enjoy the comraderie, etc. 

I recently heard a similar, but not as drastic, story from my 19 year old ward - (yes, I actually have a ward, isn't that wierd?) She has a myspace account too.  She was friends with someone she met at a job.  My friend and this girl had some sort of fight and eventually it degenerated into this other person writing false accusations on her myspace account and posting my ward's picture and giving personal information about her with a link to HER page.  Isn't that terrible?  I can't imagine doing that to someone, embarrasing them, making them feel so victimized.  It's a harsh cyber-reality, I suppose, I am just happy that it's not reality here.

I wanted to thank EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU GUYS for being such great people and making this place, this small community online, where we can discuss, explore and be the change.  I implore you - Invite more people of like mind.  Make more friends.  Bring in young people, because they will learn from our example of comraderie and friendship and will not be victimized out there in cyberspace. 

My thoughts and emotions go out to the girl's family and to the woman who victimized her. 

Namaste
Thea