Not long after I joined this site I coined a new phrase to describe what I found here! It caught on with a few people here,(Thomas comes to mind! Thanks Thomas!) and you see it often now! I went back and dug up the original blog I wrote, and thought I would share it with those of you who were not around when my quit was only 112 days old! I hope this helps everyone understand what I mean when I talk about "Collateral Kindness"! Tommy
April 22, 2010
"I hate blowing my own horn (but not bad enough to stop myself) So here goes!!! In a comment on someone blog the other day, I coined a new phrase. After giving it considerable thought, I realized that it defines what happens at this site. We all know that in war you drop a bomb that blows up its intendes target. That is good! Anything else it blows up is called " Collateral Damage ". It is an unintended consequence.
The phrase I coined the other day was " Collateral Kindness ". You see it here everyday!! People come to this site everyday under the guise of learning how to quit smoking. I say "HORSEFEATHERS". There are a lot of folks here that will tell you how to quit! Don't put one in your mouth, and don't light it!! We all already know how to quit.
What we come here looking for is self esteem, confidence, reassurances, friends and confidants that understand us and what we are going through. We are looking for someone to believe in us and help us believe in ourselves. Some come not really caring about themselves, because they are not sure anyone else cares about them. People come here looking for pride because somewhere along the way they have lost it. People come here looking for their identity, because they lost it. I am sure you can add to this list, and I could go on for quite a while.
All of the things people come here looking for are here. Whatever you need, just ask, some one is willing to give it to you. It may be a kick in the seat of your pants or a pat on your back, two things very close together, yet a long ways apart. Some of the kindest people on earth call this site home! People come here and find what they need! Then a strange phenomenon occurs. People suddenly start passing that help on to others! "Collateral Kindness"!!
People came here looking for help. When they found it they started giving it away! Unintended consequences!! And one day these poor broken people, who came here looking for help realize, they brought their own help with them. They had the power to do it all along. They just needed someone to tell them to click their heels together three times and repeat "There is no place like home" And they all lived happily ever after!!!! The End"
