We are family was a song done by Sister Sledge in the 80's. I connect life events with music which is something that I've done as long back as I can remember. This week we have welcomed in another new year with the start to 2008'. We've read many posts here on Active Rain as well as through other social networks. Connecting through social networking has catapulted us into a new age in a way that many of us never dreamed imaginable in our life times.
This past year has been such a myriad of events in the world and it promises to be a year filled with more of things both exciting and unknown for 2008'. This week alone the Active Rain network was able to be part of an unimaginable family reunion with Jay McGillicuddy finding his birth mother after a lifetime of not knowing her. This was a story that was right out of a fairytale novel. It was so touching as told from the heart of his beautiful wife and fellow Rainer, Monika McGillicuddy. For those of you who haven't read this story, you must take a moment to read it. You'll be amazed - I know we were.
We saw many of our Active Rain friends in California go through frightening wildfires that put many out of their homes in 2007'. Now they are being threatened by other possible natural disasters with the torrential storms on the West Coast. The outpouring of e-mails and posts last year set off a chain reaction of caring that stretched from one side of the Country to the other. We're wishing our West Coast friends hope and well being for the future.
Just in time for the New Year, Rich Jacobson shared with us a bit of his family joy with a sweet proposal by his son to his fiance. Now that's what I call romantic! Thanks for sharing that with us Rich!
Teresa Boardman posed the question of how are real friends different from social networking friends when through her social networking she was able to locate a set of lost keys. She aptly named her post "Friends".
Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman shared her story of hope and how she learned to make plans for dealing with life's curve-balls in her Business Plan for 2008'. Here's wishing you all good things in 08' Sally!
Then this morning I read a post by one of our good friends here in the Rain, Brad Andersohn. His story touched my heart so deeply because it was a story of overcoming life's challenges as a family. That's when I had my musical moment - We "Are" family here and when we connect through social networking. We ask that you all send Brad and his family your prayers and good wishes.
By connecting through social networks, we are sharing more than professional tips and advice, we are sharing all of life's up's and downs with each other. It's just like We Are Family! We all need each other and through social networking we are finding out that we are not alone!
Lisa.... there is a lot of truth behind this and your statements. For those naysayers that say that everyone on here is just talking through the computer, has no idea. So many can bond on here and I am soooo looking forward to meeting so many in NYC this week. You guys wouldn't happen to be going, would you? if not, you should at least stop in on Wednesday for the AR gathering... e-mail Jon, Matt, or Bob... In any case, nice job here...
I wanted to comment on his post after Blog Boy (Broker Bryant) told me about it.
The problem is that I can't load Brad's Blog without crashing my p.c. A few too many widgets I would think.
Brad...
If you read this I am sending you my heart felt concern for you and yours.
All things have a solution. Hey. Think of it this way...Maybe someone right here on AR has a perfect job for you. We never know where our destiny really lies now do we? :)
As we have seen, around here, the impossible...Turns into the possible :)
I hope Brad sees it too because we do so hope and pray that he and his family will get through this tough time they are going through. Thanks for sending him your prayers. I know he appreciates it.
Thanks for soem very strong and heartfelt comments. What goes on here in AR is certainly above and beyond social networking. So many of the things that we all share in here are above and beyond what we would casually share in a social setting let alone a traditonal networking group!
Lisa and Robert- I was thinking the same as Jeff(more proof of the family connections:). In one way blogging is surrealistic as everyone is "hidden" behind their screens. Then you read a post like Brad's and know that it's real. Sometimes, "too real". I still can't explain why I would feel so strongly about people I never met or spoken to. I certainly know one thing for sure -my feelings are real. May be we need an AR shrink to explain this phenomenon:) Thanks guys for your post.
Hi Lisa and Bob - a wonderful summarization about what many of us feel about all of our friends here on AR. It is heartbreaking when some of our 'family' deal with the adversity Brad and his family are dealing with. And it's sheer joy to read about Jay and his brith mother. I missed Rich's post, so will go catch up that and with Sally's.
And as Teresa wrote about on her outside blog, all of us as friends and family live in the computers of our friends, and vice versa......if you haven't read that post of hers, go find it and read it. It's a great read!
Ann
Great post, Lisa and Robert, and congratulations on the feature. Tried to reach Brad today but no luck yet. Hope all is well there. The concern that so many have here for others who are experiencing problems is amazing, and the thing I like most about being here. This reminded me also of Missy Caulk and her daughter when she was injured so badly last year, and so many responded (remember Brad's call to action??).
Wow - what a great post. I have to say that of all the social networks that I belong to there is only one that I feel most at home and that is Active Rain. I have NEVER seen such sharing and we all truely do get to know one another. What a great place!!!
We are a true community of professionals. I think this is a grea social experience and I have enjoyed meeting so many people I would not have known if it were not for this incredible network.
Reading about Jay finding his mother....I cried through the whole thing. I met my real father when I was 15 and this brought back so many memories. And this week with Missy leaving RE/MAX and joining KW....I've thought about her all week. We are definitely family. Great post.
That's so funny - an AR phychiatrist! Count us in! But seriously many of us feel the same way. I sat crying through so many posts this week that I had to finally write about it. Thanks so much for stopping by.
I will check out Teresa's outside Blog post. We really do all live in one and other's computers virtually but our feelings are real about how the relationships take shape.
Lisa and Robert - Great post! We feel very fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful and caring family! It has been great getting to know people like you! Thanks for your part in making AR such a great place to be!!!
I know! I cried several times this week. That's why I just had to write this post. After reading about Brad's situation that song popped into my head! Glad you are part of the family too.
Thanks for stoppin by and you know we are still trying to figure out that Twitter thing. Thanks for the twitter! Sounds weird, I know, but thanks! :) And thanks for being part of this big happy Family too.
Good morning Lisa, thank you again for your kind words and I do believe we have become family as Real Estate has brought us all a little closer. We all are trying to help families achieve the American Dream of home ownership and through AR a lot of agents will be able to see just how a lot us handle certain obstacles in our daily adventures.
Lisa...Thank you so much for the mention. As everyone has said...we are a community and we care...We are most definitely a family albeit many of us have never met.
My thoughts go to Brad and I know something good will come out of this for him. It simply will happen!
Lisa...Thank you so much for the mention. As everyone has said...we are a community and we care...We are most definitely a family albeit many of us have never met.
My thoughts go to Brad and I know something good will come out of this for him. It simply will happen!
I know what you mean - I've been singing it non-stop since it first popped into my head! Sometimes I drive Bob crazy. Some silly commercial will get into my head and I'll start singing it to Bob before we go to sleep and then he gets it stuck in his head and he wants to kill me! It's hysterical! :) I'm very obnoxious that way sometimes. LOL! Thanks for stoppin' by!
Yes, I'm hoping that this post has sent alot of positive energy in his direction. He's such a nice person and we pray that his son will be o.k. too. What a terrible time for this to happen to him. His poor family must be emotionally exhausted. Jobs can be replaced but family is not something you want to see in trouble. Thanks for your good wishes. I'm sure Brad appreciates it.
Yes, we all must send positive thoughts Brad's way so that he and his family can get back to some state of a normal life. Thanks for stopping by - as always.
Isn't that funny how so many of us feel that way about AR. It's just as if we are always coming back home when we go to another network and then land back here.
Lisa and Robert, thanks for this post. I so agree and you spoke for us all. Nice work! I do feel as if we are family. I read Brad's post and I could not respond. I had to take a break and talk with my husband about it for a while and integrate. Life is so delicate and I find solace here with all aspects of what we do in our work, play and life! Thanks for your work and congrats on the feature....deserved! I like the video also!
Glad you enjoyed the video as well as the post. We all are praying for Brad and his family and are hopeful to hear good news from him soon. Thanks for stoppin by and being part of the AR Family!
Lisa -- Great post. . .this place is indeed amazing. The world seems smaller and more friendly because of the wonderful people who come and play in the Rain!
Hi Lisa & Robert, you guys are a great example of putting the social in social networking. Not only is your post well written and thoughtful, it also helps focus us on stuff we might have missed in our own little social network here on AR which benefits all of us.
Really appreciate this one. Somehow we missed what Brad is going through, and went there first through here. It's good 1st American has gotten out of his way so something much better can happen. We all can and do root for each other around here, which is the point of your piece. Well done, and right on!
So nice to see you again! We really are like a bunch of old friends here, aren't we? We all support Brad and his family now and we're rooting for them. Thank you for your show of support too.
Lisa and Robert thank you for such an eloquent post! I've always enjoyed checking in and reading your posts, but as I continued to read this one it really hit home, being a personal friend of Brad's. I just want to share with everyone that he is up and running. Left FATCO on Friday, and I hear he started working at Placer on Monday morning. He hit the ground running, and will always be a winner no matter what. I know he's so moved by all of the outpouring of support on AR, he couldn't even read them right away. So thank you again for bringing us all together again, as Family. I'm sure we will be hearing from him personally real soon. :-)
Oh thank you so much for bringing us up to date on Brad's situation! That is wonderful news! I sent him an e-mail but I wasn't expecting a response. I just wanted him to know we were thinking of him and hoping he and his family were all o.k. That is the best news I've heard today!
This is just a wonderful post... Sister Sledge...We Are Family. Well, I'm sitting here bouncing around in my chair right now singing it! I love it!
I am so glad to hear that Brad has already found employment. I was concerned for him and his family, but I knew Brad wouldn't have any problems finding a job. You can't keep a good man down!
Thanks for commenting on our post. Glad you enjoyed it. We're all glad to hear that Brad is getting back on his feet and on to making 2008' a great year. We wish you the same!
You are family! Thanks so much for all the prayers and positive thoughts for our situation. Without them, I'm not sure we would have made it thru our challenges and obstacles. This place is so much more than a social network to me and my family, it has become our home! Lisa and Robert - you are both wonderful people and we are so lucky and honored to have met you both. I hope one day we will get to meet you in person and extend a big hug to you both. GROUP HUG!!! :-) Thanks for the mention here on your post, but even more importantly thanks for letting us be a part of "Your Family!" Much love and admiration to you both, God Bless and have a "Rockin" New Year! :-)
You are truly a kind person and we're so happy to have had the opportunity that AR has provided to meet you in cyberspace. We too, hope to one day meet in person. We both wish you and yours a very happy year filled with all of the best that life has to offer. Love that GROUP HUG!!! Back at ya!
Hi Lisa- I liked this....we are family here, and that story of Jay was unbelievable......there are so many different things that have happened here....we have been a part of different people's lives......as wellas their work successes. I would certainly say this network is much more than just work.
Anyway, I wanted to come find you and wish you the best for this year..........
Lisa~What a truly wonderful blog. It's easy to feel how much you truly care about ActiveRain through your words. You are a very genuine soul and what a treasure that is. We are a family here in the rain and how many triumphs and challenges we have seen only brings us closer. Thank YOU!
Thanks so much for stopping by with your uplifting comments and congrats. You're a member of this family we're glad to have here. Hope all is well for you in your area.
;)
Links
Posted by 
And You guys are some of the best Family we have!