I did not quite have the time to research and fully put together a header this week, so I thought I’d share something instead.

A friend of mine from a similar online community where we discussed politics, the news, and pop culture passed away suddenly and unexpectedly recently. She was an integral part of the community, but I don’t think I ever directly told her how important she, her contributions, and her presence were. So today I thought I’d take the opportunity to say how much I value you all as a community. Because of the PT, I am genuinely a better person – more knowledgeable, more aware, more socially conscious, and more empathetic. Yes, we share lots of laughs and silliness, but we also challenge one another, help one another, and support one another. And that has been very valuable to me. And I hope it’s been valuable to you all as well.

I don’t have the time or the space to list out and thank every individual person, but I do want to acknowledge your part in the PT and wider Avocommunity. So thanks for what you do and making this place special. And I hope all of you can take a moment today to reflect on those who have impacted you. And even if there are those with whom you may occasionally butt heads, I hope you can reflect on ways they’ve positively impacted you as well. So today, maybe let someone know that they are appreciated, that you thought their post was especially thought-provoking, or that maybe they just made you laugh unexpectedly hard. Because unfortunately, you may never know when you’ll never have an opportunity to do so again.

Happy February, PT.