Celebrating 10 Years of Friendship
The Bell Tree has a special meaning to everyone. What that meaning is, is different for everyone. To me, the care a lot of people have for each other. The fact that our members have each others backs...even when we don't realize they do.
When I joined the Bell Tree, I was very timid and shy. I was afraid to post or voice my opinion out of fear that someone would say something back to me. Why did I join a forum if I was afraid to talk to people? Well, let me tell you a personal story.
Back then we had maybe 50 active people (can you even imagine that!?). New posts were a rare treat. What a lot of people don't know is that the Bell Tree was my
only outlet. I was asked repeatedly by my ex to quit the site. He had a very big problem with me making friends and always made me feel guilty for doing so. I had not a single friend since High School. Now, a little jealousy is alright but to take it to that extent was not and I paid the price for allowing him to take control of my life.
When I found the Bell Tree, I thought it would be the perfect place to talk about video games which is a huge passion of mine. I thought my ex would be alright with it because it was a small community and I would be able to tell him who each person was and what they were like. Jeremy for instance, was the ruthless admin who hated contact with members. Rover, Tide, and MD were all my very first friends (who have since left the Bell Tree, or rarely show up). I was happy to start talking to people and making connections. I finally began to ease up and talk a little more. I began to get a little more relaxed and even started RPing with Rover and a lot of other friends. Jake, who also messed around in the RP, ended up making me a signature of Ninetails and it was my first signature! Even though it may not have been very fancy, I was really proud of it! I had made another friend!
One day, I decided to join the IRC. For any new member, this is a very scary moment. You don't know who these people really are and you want to be able to join in on the conversation. About 5 people were in there at the time when disaster struck. My toaster caught on fire. How, I have no idea. But that is one of my first IRC memories and people thought it was funny (I threw it in the sink by the way, I was kind of just baffled). I would join IRC a little more often after this.
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Now let's fast forward to a few months ago and why TBT still continues to impress me. The friendships I had made over the few years I had been here were a lot stronger than I ever realized. I was going through a very hard time. I had finally got the courage to leave my ex and free myself. Yet after I left, I was scared. I had never done anything that took this much courage and I began to feel weak and alone. What did I have after I was gone? Did I really have any friends? The answer is yes. Two very special people to me sat beside of me when I was down and confused and feeling a mix of emotions. They talked to me. They were concerned about me. They helped me out of my disillusioned nightmare. You know these people as ZR388 and Prof Gallows.
I have worked with these two for a little over a year. I have known them a longer but it really struck me that they cared enough to talk to me. I hadn't had anyone care like that before. It made me realize that the friendships you forge online are just as strong as those you forge offline. It made me learn to appreciate people more and see that people do care.
Every one of us has friends that care. Before you think you're alone, take a look at what you have. Whether your friends are online or offline, whether they are near or far, someone out there cares for you. And if you met them through the Bell Tree, well, that just gives this place a little more meaning. <3
