5 Comments

I get this. Family of the heart. I’ve found it in 12 step recovery. Family of the heart.

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Yes, reaching out through my passions saved my life when I was widowed in 2013! I found a writing family and a hiking group and yoga people. I saw people who were on their own but lived well with friends and chosen family. It all helped me to feel much better about myself.

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I’m so glad you found a family of people at your conference - and I loved that you had one with your fellow musicians as well. My theatre family have ALWAYS been there for me. A passionate and loving bunch of people who accept me as I am.

Even when we’re chronically ill and housebound - we still have passions. We have interests. We have things that spark joy. Connecting with those who share those interests is such a gift.

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I meet people with shared interests mostly online via zoom or substack, or via podcasts. It goes to show that technology and social media can have a positive impact. I would be excluded otherwise as I don't have a car.

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And I would be excluded from a lot of things because I live so danged far away from civilization. The internet can be a big help.

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