Tell your friends....

Discussion in 'Chatty Pad' started by MrsPeel, Mar 16, 2017.

  1. MrsPeel

    MrsPeel LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

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    you love them.
    Tell them-
    People you haven't spoken for ages but keep getting them in mind and think- I ll call tomorrow- ? make an effort. Set 2 minutes aside to either send them a message or call them.

    I'll try be brief to explain- (though we know that is rare in my case, right?)
    (also apologies for the typos, I checked 3 times but keep finding more)

    A couple of people I held dearly in my heart but haven't spoken to for ages, years even, passed away. One of them was Andrea Newby, she was Mirjam's ( Pink Reptile Designs ) CT, but most of you may remember her as the designer behind the templates: Little Green Frog Designs.
    Her gallery here doesn't have much , but is here if you want to have a look
    She retired in 2014, as she was accepted in Uni to be a Midwife, her dream job.
    I was so glad I let her talk me into coming into her CT, because I had quiet a time before she retired, but I knew her from before she was a designer, and she was British so we spoke a lot.
    We messaged on Facebook and I called her (on the phone) a few times to see how she was doing, last time in mid 2015 I think.. Then I kept thinking of I have to call Andrea, or at least FB message... for one thing or another, I kept leaving it for the next day.
    I think it was Tuesday evening or the very early hours of the morning Wednesday, we were chatting in one of my CT groups and someone said how she missed her.... as in she had retired and we didn't see her much anymore...and another one of the girls told us she passed..... I thought she was confusing as another Andrea who was a scrapper died last year....well, nope. She passed away last year, Lung Cancer, I think it was fast, she had some chemo but it didn't work. She was 40... FORTY years old...can't stop thinking about her children who are young, her husband... the only thing I could think about the past couple of days was... I should have called.

    It happened to me two weeks ago more or less with another friend. long story but same in the end of the day. I was so so glad that I made an effort to contact some of people who worked with me when I was in Buenos Aires, and we got together in November (2014) One of them, who seemed perfectly healthy to me then) passed away two months later.
    So yes, make an effort, even if it can seem you are out of the blue writing just to say, hey, thinking of you.
    Tell people.
    Most of you know I used to come post a LOT here about how much one could feel the love and thank you for the support as this amazing, awesome, marvelous place is what has been keeping me alive the past couple of years especially.
    Well, I may start pestering you again.
    Some of you in a deeper way, but everyone, every person who is part of this family, this amazing community, everyone of you who plays the challenges, interacts in the gallery, messages me or even likes my pages with the button..... ALL of you are amazingly dear to my heart.
    I have been diagnosed (not sure if I posted about this here) with Heart Failure.
    They say it maybe impossible to know why it happened, but the surgeon said he thinks it was an overlooked viral infection, it froze my left ventricular chamber which isn't pumping blood anymore. So I may keep telling you how much I love you, so in case anything happens to me, you know-

    I also saw something, on Facebook, someone saying they were cleaning up their friends list, and that if " you didn't interact with me in the past 6 months- I am deleting you"
    Well, I wouldn't do that.
    Before you "delete" someone of your life, make an effort to reach out if they are even a little bit important...just keep that little flame on, every amount of love , gratitude, every prayer or thought towards someone you love who may be in need of even just one word of knowing you are still there....all counts ...
    I will try make an effort to come to the forums more often, these past couple of months have not been the best health wise, I just keep scrapping to keep my mind occupied about the disaster of every appliance in our house breaking (and then breaking again LOL)
    anyway
    I LOVE YOU.
    I am hugely grateful for your friendship, your attention, your even if one minute of your time to find out how things are going, so thank you thank you. You are loved.:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:beat:beat:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub

    ps: if you knew Andrea and want to read a bit more about what happened, a friend found this:
    http://www.leighobserver.co.uk/news/fun-day-in-memory-of-loving-morecambe-midwife-1-8136361
     
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  2. djp332

    djp332 She sells seashells down by the seashore

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    Oh, I'm shocked to hear of Andrea's passing. I loved her templates and was sad when she retired.

    I really try to make peace with people I've lost touch with, including most of my siblings. There was a big family feud when our parents died and half of us didn't speak to the other half for 10 years. Then we all got invited to a niece's wedding and we were all civil and hugged and cried and caught up. It was great. Then it stopped. So when my youngest daughter announced her engagement, I wanted to have a picnic to celebrate and invited all of them and their families. They all came. It was great. Then it stopped. I invited them to another picnic. It was great. Then it stopped. I tried my best, but they just don't want to be bothered.

    I'm so happy I have good friends to get me through it all, both IRL and on-line. I talk to my on-line friends more often than I talk to half of my siblings. I'm happy to call you my friend and actually squealed the day you sent me a friend request! You are like scrapping royalty! I would never delete you from my friends list. I wish you only good health and hope that your doctors can treat you effectively.

    :heartslub:bk:yourock:love
     
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  3. Tree City

    Tree City Get a stepladder, I'm busy

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    Oh, I'm so sorry for your losses, Cynthia! And you're right: we all should remember to tell the ones we care about that we care about them.
    And I, like you, care about everyone here. That includes you, my dear Cynthia, so you in my prayers!
     
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  4. amien1

    amien1 I do enjoy a good exclamation point!

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    OH I loved her templates- I have a TON of them- they are some of my favorite double layout templates. That is so sad. I'm sorry for your loss! :(

    I TOTALLY agree with you on all of the above- On valentine's day I made it my mission to send a text, email or phone call to tell everyone that I love that I love them. That I thought of them on a day of love :) It was so heart warming to talk to old friends & family I don't see often. I have had too many people that I love leave this earth unexpectedly & I want everyone to know that I love them & hear it :D <3
     
  5. MrsPeel

    MrsPeel LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

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    ohhh Donna!!!!!!!!!! you are filling my heart with JOY!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks so so much for your super kind words!!!!!!!!
    I am now getting a bit better, have been away from communicating much since things got so difficult with everything breaking down and ..well..life interrupting my socializing well with my friends (especially online) but I need to catch up...you are on my list for sure.

    I know what you mean about family..... our family is HUGE...in both sides, my mum & dad... and there have been feuds like yours.... of course one can try and if you don't get something back, of course, you go your own way......
    and yes, I find you girls here a lot more support for me than my own brother -granted he lives all the way in the south pole, has 3 kids, works a lot- but he is Pastor of their Church with his wife...but we rarely get on the phone (he doesn;'t do the online thing) a couple of times he called me when I was at my very worse, in 2013 and last year...but that was because my mum called him and told him to call me.... (I love him dearly, but we hardly ever talk)
    I found that the Pad, 100% has been my rock....and I am so very proud of being part of this family :heartlub:heartlub:heartlub
    once again, Donna, thank you so so much, you cannot imagine how much your words mean to me (not sure bout being Royalty though LOL)
    huge huge hugggzz
     
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  6. MrsPeel

    MrsPeel LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

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    you know you are in my heart.
    and I know you are one of those who always, always comes to me with a word or a comment or something that makes me smile or laugh....when I most need. Like you have a Cynth -Radar LOL and I am so so very grateful for that :heartlub:heartlub:heartlub

    You are such a beautiful woman, inside and out, I am not surprised you did that.... you know I have been getting to know you through your pages or the little chats we can have around the gallery..... and I treasure your being part of this family :heartlub:heartlub:heartlub
     
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  7. QuiltyMom

    QuiltyMom I'll never run out of things to do!

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    I had no idea about Andrea! I knew she had retired from designing to attend nursing school, and that's the last I had heard about her. That is so sad. I also adored her templates!

    And Cynthia, I agree with you. And I'll be praying for you, too! Heart Disease runs rampant in my family, so that's why I'm always on top of anything that may be happening with me.

    I am so bad about reaching out to others, mostly because being the mom of two special-needs kids has taken a toll on my social life. I'm just too emotionally tired to make that phone call, or I just forget to do it. Your note is a good reminder that we all need to take that extra step!
     
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  8. dailydwelling

    dailydwelling Confidently cooking and creating

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    I am so sorry to hear about Andrea!

    Your message is so important, though. People are our life's greatest blessing. It is so important that we let people know that they are loved, cared for and thought about!

    You are so often in my prayers and on my heart. You are a truly beautiful person in how you give to this community!
     
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  9. jk703

    jk703 CEO of Anything and Everything, Everywhere

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    All I have is love for you, Cynthia! You share such wonderful optimism and words! Thank you for the reminder and hugs for losing those that are close to you!

    I knew about Andrea, but only because a mutual friend had posted a message. It was so sad and she was so young. Cancer really is scary.

    My online friends and community mean more to me than most realize. They see my kids grow, learn about me though my pages, the forum, social media, so much. I have some truly good friends IRL and in my computer. They all ahve my heart!
     
  10. MrsPeel

    MrsPeel LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

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    thanks so so much Jan....
    I understand so so much what you are saying... I have friends with kids that are special needs and I used to help a lot, when my body was more able, it really can be exhausting (at least people like us, every mother scrapper here is a MOTHER with all their might) and of course you will want to get time for yourself even if it is only to have a nap, the socializing gets reduced to a minimum... with me it happens in a similar way, mainly 2 reasons: the state of my relationship with Sarita and my neurological condition, both separately and together are like stoppers of my wanting to communicate...of course by now most of you know that I disappear from the forums when I m not well and last year, even now, my social media interaction git reduced to me posting pages and in occasion talk to someone.... but I was really really unwell and the neuro symptoms get worse when I m arguing with Sarita....
    I know being here is a push I need to not let myself go completely...and the blessing of having people with whom I can be 100% honest ad they will listen, talk me out of my stupid thoughts and get me feeling better...
    I wish I could describe with words that could show the magnitude that everyone of you have to my heart and my life...these past two weeks, me hearing about my friend Olga in Peru who died, and Andrea, was an alert...I also need to call my parents, we speak often on skype ad phone but these past couple of weeks we didn't...I know they are well as my dad posts on Facebook (yeah, he'll be 90 in August!!! LOL) but is the friends one tends to leave it for tomorrow....
    Thanks so so much for the prayers... and the general love, you always brighten my day..I still remember the first time I saw your pages (was the first Mouse event I was in, 2015) and your amazing Mad Hatter page, well all the pages but I remember loving your nickname and thinking would be so great to get to know you better.... :heartlub:heartlub:heartlub

    :heartlub:heartlub:heartlub
    thanks so s much... I have my family on a prayer chain... nothing can happen to me now, at least until Sarita finishes her Uni, I need to be here... I have ups and downs but I do know , on the big scheme of things, we are blessed with so much...and this things happening just came at the right time in which I was almost loosing it because of the appliances and ...well, material things that should not affect me that much....
    You know I love having you here, I wish I could have more hours in the day to keep up with everyone's galleries, yours has certainly been so much of an inspiration (so happy you are in Pollyville now as I get to see before hand LOL) :heartlub:heartlub:heartlub

    I wont say much to you or I will end up ruining my keyboard because of so much crying..... you live in my heart, and are with me everyday, in prayers and thoughts, what you did for me last year (it was last year? right?) I know not many people can understand when I am so low and come uo with silly thoughts, and you rescued me from one of those times...and almost 8 years ...though we lost touch for a while....the magic of this place, this community , that brought us back like if no time has passed... Love you so so much , words aren't enough... :heartlub:heartlub:heartlub
     
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  11. gonewiththewind

    gonewiththewind I choose joy.

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    Man, you have me bawling. I'm so, so, so grateful for my friends here at The Pad and online. It's so true that we have to take the time and even if we don't think it's much, a small word or gesture could mean a lot. I know it has been that way for me . . . just when I was sinking in despair, someone would come along and speak love into my life.

    You and I are so similar in our physical battles (although I'm afraid my problems are insignificant compared to yours) . . . and while I don't relish that you are in pain and pray for you to be released from that pain, it's still comforting in a strange way to know that I don't even have to say one thing and you know where I'm coming from . . . about being kind when you are worn down, when you are left with hardly anything in your heart and you feel so lost . . . but choosing to be that way anyway because love will win, darn it! LOL Love you and so glad we are friends!
     
  12. MrsPeel

    MrsPeel LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

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    @gonewiththewind :heartslub:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:beat:beat:beat:beat:beat:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub

    I wouldn't ever say "insignificant"
    For each of us, our pain is the greatest.... I do though feel that way, with you and some other girls , I know @angiekey is another sister soul, and so many of us here who battle chronic pain...

    and you were- ARE- that word that comes in the right time.
    I wont say more because I am already crying, though my crying for the past couple of days was sadness, I feel Andrea brought us all together in this moment to realize how lucky, how blessed we are with this community, this family.
    you particularly, I treasure you with all my heart, soul, strength...
     
  13. gonewiththewind

    gonewiththewind I choose joy.

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    @MrsPeel Again with the weeping . . . LOL
     
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  14. MrsPeel

    MrsPeel LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

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    @gonewiththewind
    I will only say one more thing, and then stop because my keyboard is already risking breaking down of so much crying over: you HAVE to come visit. We need to do something to get you a super comfy flight, but you HAVE to come visit.
    We need to get together The Lilypad does Euro Disney, or lets come come at MrsPeel's living room (I give you my bed)
    we NEED to get to hugg in person.
     
  15. klee73010

    klee73010 I might have a thing for drummers

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    Yeah, totally crying reading all the love here. Cynthia, I love you. I don't tell you often enough. There are others, but specifically I wanted to tell YOU... someone who constantly reminds me of what it means to be a positive person, even when things are hard. :love:glomp
     
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  16. MrsPeel

    MrsPeel LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!

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    Kristina.... it is mutual, you know. From the very first time you showed up here, I still clearly remember. :heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub:beat:beat:heartlub:heartlub:heartlub
    I will manage to get better enough to travel, I will , I WILL get a USA visa, and I will go pester you all and hugg you dearly. :heartslub @klee73010
     
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  17. londoncuppa

    londoncuppa I like rain, England ... and big words

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    @MrsPeel Cynthia, you have such an unbelievably beautiful soul. :angel I started to read this at about 3am when I was on the treadmill and got very emotional, both about all of the losses you personally and also our community has suffered, as well as how kind and generous you are with others suffering from health issues too. I just had to put my Kindle down until I could come back and type properly.

    I don't have much more to add that hasn't already been said more eloquently by others. I just wanted you to know how much your kindness and graciousness shines through and makes you loved by us all! :grouphug

    P.S. I do have one more thing to add. I'm so very saddened about Andrea. I missed her when she retired, and I remember buying out her entire shop when she put it up for sale. Her family will most definitely be in my prayer list.
     
    Last edited: Mar 19, 2017
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  18. carrie1977

    carrie1977 Tequila and Taco Tuesday

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    I'm still in shock about Andrea after our conversation. My first reaction was a literal dropping of my jaw. Then incredible sadness. I just....IDK...I still can't process it. :(

    And, you know how much I love you, Cynthia! Your heart makes everyone here so much better just by having you around to lift us up. IDK how I got so lucky to have you as a friend. <3

    I tell people this often but this digital community is so special to me. My husband thinks you are all just a bunch of creepy men posing as women. He just doesn't get the whole online friendship thing. But, I think it is so special. It doesn't matter what site you call home. At the end of the day we probably know more about each other than our real life relationships. I love seeing our families grow. I love that we share the good times and the bad and we embrace them both and have each others backs. That says something about the relationships we've made.
     
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  19. LoveItScrapIt

    LoveItScrapIt I'm a poet, and everyone knows it!

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    Oh man, I didn't know why she retired. I loved her temps too. So sad that she has passed and so young. I made a FB status end of last week about this very thing. Hubby was in the hospital for 4 days last week and it turned my world upside down. I tell my family I love them every day, but I don't always tell my friends. I definitely am trying to be better with that from here on out.

    I love this community. I appreciate the support and comments and the camaraderie. :heartslub:heartlub:beat:bk
     
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  20. Serena

    Serena Squishy soul poet who loves Walter Hunt

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    I've been struggling with my own health and what to say and do. Part of me wants to keep it all inside and keep quiet because no one needs to hear me whine, then the other part wants to share so that people know they aren't alone. I was.. kinda shocked when I came back here and found one of my old layouts that briefly mentioned my issues, and then the other part of me was glad I had.

    I still hesitate to say much, but, I want you to know (and actually, the you here implies the one reading.. AND Cynthia..) that if you ever need to vent/talk/cry/laughandforgeteverything, whatever it is. I'm an open ear. I have a huge shoulder, and I've ALWAYS got a warm hug lying around somewhere in the clutter of my house. I keep them tucked away for bad days and even though it usually has kitten teeth marks or a bit of a wrinkle on it, my warm hugs fit all and are ALWAYS available to share.

    Everyone's pain, everyone's hardships are a certain weight to them, they are ALL significant, they are ALL important, so please don't feel that you can't say "oh, this has been bad" because you feel that your troubles aren't "as important" as someone else's. They are. You are important and so is what affects you. Always.

    It hurts my heart when I hear someone say "well, what I'm going through is not as important as what you are." Yes. There's different degrees, and yes, it's helpful to go "it could be worse" but please don't ever feel that it's not important or any less significant because it is a DIFFERENT degree.

    I don't think I'm saying that right and probably should delete it all and might come back and edit it, but for now, I'm leaving it.

    The whole point is, I get pain. I live with chronic daily pain and have my good and bad days and things have gotten worse the last few months. My favorite motto for that is: "I've been better, I've been worse." Keeps things in check. The other motto is "We're all laying in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." One day I'll convince one of the designers to make a kit from that with stars, gray-blues whites and soft purples and then I'll buy it! I think it's important to keep all the perspectives as positive as possible so you don't get sucked down into the constant darkness.

    I remember quite a few of you from my first few years here, I'm very excited to meet and get to know others. This community is quite amazing and I'm grateful it's still here and going as strong and loving as it was when I was here before.

    Every time we touch another person, it leaves a mark, thank you guys for being a positive mark upon my soul. And thank you, Cynthia for the reminder to bug those we need to. <3
     

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