Yesterday, as I was working, I overheard the TV in the other room. The subject for the Oprah show (it was a rerun), were people who lost massive amounts of weight.
The first guest’s story intrigued me, so I got up to watch the segment.
Nancy had weighed over 700 pounds, but she was now looking quite stunning.
Oprah asked her how she did it. Pills? Lapband? Gastric bypass?
No.
She did it with the help of a computer she received (as a present) from her sister.
Not being very mobile having the excess weight to tote around, she started spending time on the internet. She enjoyed political sites. She soon joined chat rooms, and shortly thereafter, began email friendships with the people she had met online.
Something about that online communication began to “fill her”, not with food, but with a sense of belonging. A sense of value.
Being able to “hide” behind a computer screen, no one could judge her. Like us bloggers, she was accepted for her words.
As if it were magic, something in her clicked, and she began losing weight.
She proceeded to lose over 530 pounds.
Today’s Lesson
Nancy’s story moved me.
It made me think of how we react to comments and emails. At times they could be so easy to dismiss.
Realizing that some people may be at home “crying” for help and reaching out to total strangers on the internet, made me realize how, as bloggers, by paying just a little bit of attention, we may be saving someone’s life. We may be their life line to the outside world. We may be the motivation they need to make a difference in their own life.
Our words can “fill” someone and give them a sense of value.
By “listening” to them, we may help them find hope.
Nancy’s story make me realize, blogging gives us more power than we can ever imagine.
How are you using yours?
Today’s Assignment
Make time to read the story of her weight loss, at Nancy Makin.com. It’s guaranteed to move you to think of how we treat others who visit our blogs, email us, or join us on social networking sites.
Nancy’s life was changed by the internet, has yours? How?
Since you started blogging, have you found more value in your own life?
Does blogging “fill you up?”
Photo Credit: tommy pariah’s photostream
Hi. I'm Barbara Swafford and I'd like to welcome you to Blogging Without A Blog. Grab a seat, share your thoughts and join in the conversation. 
