I cleared my old Somersoft messages today and had a little cry...

I just spent an hour or so copying me messages "in" and messages "sent" that were important.

Some were for contacts I may need in the future, but there were dozens from the time when I lost my mother to cancer over five years ago. I'd arranged to meet some members and after months of arranging dates, the day came and I met them for five minutes to say hello, but had to take Mum to the specialist. Then for three and a half months I read the forum from her hospital room. It was pretty much one thing in my life that "stayed the same". Everything else changed. I didn't post much (if at all) but kept in touch with those three local ladies, and a few other members who knew what was happening. I feel a very close connection with them, even if we don't get in touch much now, and I have a special place in my heart for those forum members who helped me through that horrible time.

Y'all know who you are

I had kept all those messages and one day thought I'd go back through them, read them again when I was able... and it was just always too hard. I've put it off for over five years. Of course, I had to do it now or lose them forever.

I just wanted to say that today I shed some tears reading some of them. Many of them I just skimmed, because it is still too difficult to read the details I put into the messages, how I was feeling, how Mum was faring. And if I get too teary reading them, and have to take a break, and don't get them copied, it will be too late to do so. So I've copied them, emailed them to myself and will read them when I feel more able to do so... maybe never.

I thought it would be a good thing to remind everybody who might have messages stored for whatever reason to get them copied. I believe they will be cleared at the end of the month?

And to those who helped me through the worst time I've every had, and who contacted me afterwards once I mentioned it in the forum, thank you once again. It meant a lot, and still does.

 

I don't know what a CSV is? I've done it now, but happy to learn something new... so what is a CSV and how do I use it to export messages, if you are happy to teach an old dog a new trick (for future messages I don't want to lose)?

The other thing that made me sad was I had kept a couple of messages from PennyK who passed away (back in 2012?). I always get a little shock when I read any old threads that are added to and I see her name. She was amazingly strong and posting right to the end.