Hi all,

Thanks for all your replies.

When I first started up this thread, I just wanted to take a light-hearted look at the way other people see us, and how we react to this. But I was very soon touched by the stories and experiences of others, and the blatant discimination they had suffered, not to mention indignity and unfair treatment.

In all of my 49 years of life, I have never found such a truly nice bunch of people as there are here. The genuine loving support reported by Blondie 28 is one of those wonderful features of this site which makes me so attached to it, and want to contribute my own little bit of help, where I can.

At the outset, I always intended to couple this thread with one that I have talked about starting for months now, which contains copies of individual posts from around this forum that we have found inspirational. My delay has come from not being able (yet) to find the 2 or 3 posts I wanted to start it off with (because they are in the long thread in the triple digits forum, and my efforts to find them have so far failed. It still remains my intention to offer this twin view of ourselves - from these experiences in this thread, and from the highly inspirational and motivativating posts of the as yet unstarted thread.

But as with children, although you may give something life, it soon becomes obvious that it has a character and direction of its own, which is what very quickly happened with this thread. It always had a vitality and forcefulness I had never envisaged, and soon went off in unforeseen directions. I am simply happy that it has stimulated thought and discussion, and I am personally very grateful for the perspective and understanding it has given me.

All views are welcome. I am delighted that another complexion has been added by Googybuzzy, which I think introduces a further perspective to things. If Cali thinks the thread has become indulgent, I respect her right to this opinion, and to state it, but it does not change mine, and I make no apologies for the posts herein. I also acknowledge the loyalty of Blondie and Wendy, and admire their eloquence as well as their support.

Maybe Susi has it right, attitudes depend on the prevailing fashion and social climate, and as she and Wa'il both pointed out, what is considered outrageously obese now was considered attractive and elegant in a bygone age. All we can strive for, I think, is to achieve our own objectives, and to satisfy our own goals. Whatever the motivation, the process of change is beneficial, and the weight we lose will be good for our health and spirits.

Continued good luck to my fellow strugglers against weight. And may we be both tolerant of each other, and helpful wherever we can.

Best wishes,

Andy