I have never been prouder to be a part of the "blogosphere" as I have been these last few days. The outpouring of emotion and generosity has been astounding.

Thank YOU, Y, Because without you being a pioneer, of sorts, the rest of us would not be here, or it would certainly be different.

And here is a pretty good place to be.

You're beyond a great writer--you're an amazing, articulate, thought-provoking and poignant writer.

Thank YOU for giving us the honesty that you do. So many benefit from it, Y.

Thank you Y for you. I know we never met but I cannot wait until we do. I read about the news on another blog and it tore me up. If I still fear for my own son after him going through an illness and wondering if he would make it, I can only slightly comprehend the excrutiating pain Heather is going through. It's not right.

Much love and hugs and my fucking god I wish I could go public with my blog. I think you and a lot of people out there would do me a lot of good with the support. Because despite shithead trolls in blogsphere, a lot of us can be beautiful and helpful towards each other.

I have to echo the sentiments of the commenters above - your writing is always honest, sincere, and from your heart .

A friend of mine once said "Oh, blogs. Those aren't REAL friends, they're just Internet people".

She was so wrong.

I disagree, you are a great writer. Because people want to read what you post. I've been a longtime lurker, but never a commenter. But I wanted to tell you Thank YOU for writing and sharing your life, you have undoubtedly touched many lives with your words.

This was a beautiful post. I don't think you give yourself enough credit for how well you express yourself.

I am not a blogger but through an online support group (for survivors of a loved one's suicide) I have met some incredible friends. Women I know will be there for me with unconditional love 24/7 and I for them.

My heart is breaking for the Spohr family. I can not comprehend such a loss. They are in my prayers.
Nancy P

When I first started reading blogs, long before I decided to try one myself, 'Joy Unexpected' was one of the first I latched onto. Your posts about the damage done by an uber-fundamentalist Christian upbringing were very close my husband's experience, and he was in the throes of doggedly trying to work through it all. You hit a nerve, and in a rush of possibly PMS-related emotion I (uncharacteristically) poured my feelings into an email to you. I was too green in the ways of the bloggy world to truly understand how uncool it was to do that, and you easily (and justifiably) could have held my heartfelt missive up to ridicule. You didn't. You send a sweet message to me thru Lindsay and thru Twitter, and by the time I finally got to meet you in person at BlogHer you had the decency to treat me as a fellow blogger and not a weird-ass stalker-type.
The events of the last couple of days have just reinforced to me that this is indeed a community, one that can reach out and rally 'round and stand in the gap for each other. You have personified that to a lot of people in the blogosphere, and I am just one of them.

Everyday I go back and read more about Maddie and I have no idea how Heather puts one foot in front of the other each day. Her strength is just...........awe inspiring, and at the same time heartbreaking. That was definitely one special little girl. I'll probably never know Heather, but I don't know how, as a mom, you can learn their story and just walk away without feeling like you should do *something*. I really do hope that she feels some comfort in the virtual arms holding her up. It's all so unfair.

I'm so glad you put this back up. You can never go wrong when you speak from your heart. There are many of us hearing you, and being comforted or consoled or tickled by the words you share. Keep going--even though it's hard--because you and your words matter.

Many of us listening in more or less silence are benefiting from what you say. Even when our children are grown. Makes no difference to this set of feelings, it endures.