Gallery of Goodwill - Christmas Editition

[Jeric 46,834]

Thanks to @Melke for that pitch perfect art. 

 

So this isn't a stretch goal post. It isn't an event post. In truth it is a bit of a PSA. Wait! Before you run off I wanted to drop the title of Administrator for a moment, put down the badge, and talk to you user to user about something that touches many of us, either directly or indirectly. Depression, anxiety, heart wrenching sadness and despair. Christmas for many people is a season of hope and joy -- of love and compassion. For some it is a season where mental health issues, clinical depression, anxiety, stress, and even just good old fashioned sadness comes to visit instead of a jolly old elf. The catalyst and source could be almost anything, but for me, last year it was grief. Last year was the first Christmas without my wife, and as you can imagine it was kicking my ass right properly. The holidays have a way of reminding us of family, perhaps of moments where it was a period of magic. I have mentioned this to a few, and in an old blog, but I am in treatment for Depression and Anxiety. I was lucky to have been married to a shrink too, so I picked up some tricks from her over the years to help me, but when Christmas hit last year I felt like I was always teetering on ... well ... hard to say. I wanted to scream all the time. To cry all the time. I found myself still pushing through the day, mostly for my kids sake. I tried watching old Christmas specials and movies and decorating the house, but everything just made me feel worse. I put up a good front to most that knew me .... it was easier online than in person. I felt suffocated by horror and and a hellish existence of nostalgia of things that were and will never be again crashing through my mind. Shit's not fun man. Not fun at all., 

 

Then, out of nowhere, completely by surprise, I received a PM from @Randimaxis who delivered artwork from an artist he commissions.  Art that he thought would be meaningful to me. It was of me at Christmas sitting and my wife's spirit comforting me. I hadn't spoken to anyone recently about how I was feeling, but those that knew me ... it made sense that they realized that the first Christmas without Jess would be hard. Now I am not going to be that saccharine fool and lie to you by suggesting that solved all my holiday blues. There isn't a complete magic bullet. But, it made me feel comforted. It made me feel thankful that I had someone who would do that. I am very much an open book, not super private, but I don't want people to worry about me. I don't ask for help. I give it when I can, but I am not that type of person who goes to just anyway and vents or cries on their shoulder. It didn't matter because Randi figured that I would appreciate that gesture, I did indeed. It isn't a cure, but it helped. It's a year later and I have found my festive side again. This Christmas, just feels like it used to. I survived. 

 

That's what the Gallery of Goodwill is all about folks. It is a fund set aside for anyone in the community to reach out and tap into to cheer up a friend or acquaintance. The Gallery of Goodwill has several artists available to create something special for a friend at your request. Look, the holidays suck when you are dealing with things. What may seem insignificant to one person can be soul crushing to another. Christmas and this time has many many wonderful elements, but it can be a lonely time of year. I want to challenge you all, from the peppiest goof on here, to the edgy troll types ... if you know of someone who can use some cheering up, reach out and let us know, It isn't something that costs you anything but your time, and it could do some good. 

 

I know that it seems strange spending other people's money, even on something like this where it can make or break a person's day. Don't feel weird asking for artwork for someone you know. If they need something to remind them they have someone out there who cares, who knows that they are in pain, it could save their holiday. Maybe even more. Don't be bashful, don't feel as if your friends issues is not less important than someone else's. Don't feel guilty. Just reach out and let them know. As an online forum we can't do much, but we can help out members out by leveraging the great talents in this community, and so can you. It its a legitimate request, these great people are ready to help, 

 

Happy Holidays all. Be good to one another, especially during this time of the year. 

 

Gallery of Goodwill

 

 

[skysweep 541]

Hi guys!

Firstly thanks to @Jeric for sharing his story about his struggles, and for setting up this post for the GoG. 

I have a story of my own too; its the reason why I started the GoG. 

I used to suffer from depression; a lot of family died around the same time as people got into that phase of life where social standing matters a lot, and I wasnt exactly a popular kid. It sucked to be left out all the time, and people just...didnt really seem to care what happened to me or what anyone was doing to me. To a lot of people, it was just being needy and annoying. One of the few people I knew who did care about me when the rest of my family and schoolmates were too busy to care was an aunt I cherished a lot. She didnt care about what others did or said, I was just me. But one day, she fell ill, and it was discovered she had a brain tumor. A couple of days after that, whilst travelling to school, I overhear from the back of the car where they needed to go next after dropping me; the mortuary. It didnt take long to figure out what happened, and it was devastating. I just turned up to school and wept outside a classroom, I couldnt deal with it. But in all that time, not a teacher or a peer cared about what happened, and it all went downhill from there. People stopped talking to me and just simply ignored what was happening, and it reached a point where I was failing academically, with nobody to care and multiple people angry at me. It got too much, and I decided to just..end it. But for reasons I still cant figure out today, even though I was in plain sight in front of dozens of people, climbing over a railing to jump off the building, nobody seemed to give a crap.

 
That was, except for a few bronies in school; they were the only people to step forward and try to convince me not to do it. Everyone else may as well have been a statue. Over the next few months to years, they offered a small, local community I could spend time with, and care about. They drew art, took me to meetups, everything. Then I found this place, Poniverse, by a random Google search, and the rest is history. People here have given me hope and help when I relapsed and needed it most, the people back home cheered me on with everything I did; all from this wonderful community of people, people who give and help others selflessly. It may not have seemed like much, the little random gifts, drawings and messages people sent to me, but it has given me reason to live and has made such an impact on my life. 

In this spirit, I would just like to ask people to give what they can to help out the many wonderful causes the fandom has. Come by and drop a few bucks into the GoG tin so we can give that support to others. Go and donate to the BC's Children's Hospital, and give a kid spending their holiday in a hospital that sense of warmth and joy. Nothing is more miraculous in the holiday season than to give others the joy we all celebrate each year.

Thanks you all for reading, and Happy Holidays!

[Denim&Venöm 16,463]

It may not seem like much now, But I see something special in the GoG. Something unique to offer to the rest of the world. A unique kind of difference we can make for somepony. Even if it's only a little bit of a difference.

That's why i joined. 

[Midnight Solace 5,129]

It's nice to see my fellow bronies feeling better after going through such hard times... 

Also, am I the only one that noticed the spelling error? 

Edited December 2, 2018 by Midnight Solace

[Lupus 127]

I've been away a long time, mostly because the past few times I tried to come back I didn't realise my display name was different from my username and just didn't know what to do. I've a lot of catching up to do.

Life has been hard since the Summer, after what seemed a new start and a beautiful reunion. Maybe it can be rescued, maybe it can't

I just need something to help keep me alive right now, and to help my old dad not have to deal with my ending

[skysweep 541]

3 hours ago, Lupus said:

I've been away a long time, mostly because the past few times I tried to come back I didn't realise my display name was different from my username and just didn't know what to do. I've a lot of catching up to do.

Life has been hard since the Summer, after what seemed a new start and a beautiful reunion. Maybe it can be rescued, maybe it can't

I just need something to help keep me alive right now, and to help my old dad not have to deal with my ending

Hi @Lupus, do you want to shoot me a PM and talk about it? Id be happy to chat with you. 

[Feather Spiral 1,892]

9 hours ago, Bas said:

Apart from being indecisive and lazy and forgettable and forgettable

Dude... want someone to talk to?

[Jedishy 3,542]

9 hours ago, Bas said:

Meh, I didn't donate yet. Apart from being indecisive and lazy and forgettable and forgettable I am not sure if and how much I could donate and whether to BCCH or something more local or regional to me in Germany.

Ya ok?

11 minutes ago, Feather Spiral said:

Dude... want someone to talk to?

I second this

 

[Midnight Solace 5,129]

11 minutes ago, Bas said:

I do have some issues of mine, but I am quite fine. Aside of that, I have an appointment with my therapist in 1.5 hours anyways.

I do appreciate your concerns and offers, though!

Wait, you see a therapist as well? 

Oh no, I feel so bad for you trying to help me now...

It's true, what they say. Everypony you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.

Edited December 10, 2018 by Midnight Solace

[Feather Spiral 1,892]

I'm struggling with episodes of depression and anxiety as well, not to mention frustrating events. It takes me for-fucking-ever to recover from one event, only for another to come and ruin all my efforts.

I just try to keep it from public spaces; when some negativity slips into the forum or elsewhere, you know I'm nearing breaking point.

I'm often under the impression everyone else does the same, so when I see self-deprecation on the forum, I see it as the tip of a very massive iceberg.

[Jeric 46,834]

I took some of the mental health related discussion from the main MCM topic and moved it here since it absolutely fits the the point of this topic better.

Remember, we do have a service available to cheer up others and remind them they have support