Pink Floyds and Posting . . .

I started reading the posts on First Read about a year or two ago.  I just read.  Then there was a night, and I can’t even remember the topic, but I was so incensed that I had to figure out how to post back.  After numerous attempts with screen names (I used all of my normal favorites but they were taken, I settled on the Layton and numbers.)  I never thought I’d be posting more than I had that evening having voiced my opinion well enough to sleep.

Then came reading comments . . .  I’ve read the stories for years on MSN but started to scroll down to the comment section to see what others thought of the articles.  WOW! That was a wake-up call!  I found a kinship with so many that felt the same way I did and they had a voice and expressed it.  I don’t have a voice in the State I live in.  I live in Utah and married a Republican a long, long time ago.  He and I used to joke that our votes always cancelled each other’s out.  I’ve had an affinity for the Democrat party in the same way that I have a belief in Christ.  I firmly believe that service to one another and loving our fellow-man is what we are called to do.  Living in Utah, I was against the norm as I am not Mormon.  I grew up hearing how wrong I was to believe in Christ and love my neighbor and forgive others.  I’ve stuck to my beliefs through my entire life. 

I am a dichotomy.  I am a born-again Christian, female, white, progressive, liberal Democrat.  All of those labels are fine by me.  They define me more than my choice of car or house.  I’ve raised an extremely lovely beautiful daughter who, having my encouragement has gone on to be an exceptional young woman without the insecurities I felt growing up in Utah.  She has the spine I wish I had.

Going back to topic . . . I’d read Phinephancy’s posts for years and noted that she had such a gracious way of calling others out (if needed) and also just using her own voice.  It’s what posters do.  Sometimes our voices are not heard in our day-to-day lives and we use the boards for validation and affirmation.  She was a gentle soul with a spine.  I noticed she wasn’t around for awhile and then “read” into her posts that she was ill.  She still questioned the politics and also the posters. 

Pink Floyd was a flamingo that escaped from the Tracy Aviary here in Salt Lake.  He found his way to the Great Salt Lake and was occasionally spotted and reported on.  Wouldn’t we all like to escape from the boundaries that life puts us in to an open free space?

When a poster dies, it leaves us all wondering what happened and why that poster is no more.  In the case of Phinephancy, her voice didn’t go dark.  Her friends have colored the board by changing their avatars to honor her.   She, like Pink Floyd, is off to a greater unrestricted horizon.  God bless and God speed.

I didn’t know Phinephancy personally, nor do I know many of my fellow friends on the Vine.  I do want to let you all know that your posts and comments touch me.  I’ve made friends here as well as adversaries, but that is life and having that back and forth makes it all worth living.