Looking back over the past year

It seems impossible, but I've been a member of SparkPeople for over a year now. What was a whim just before Christmas 2006, has became a very important part of my life.

I needed to lose about 20 pounds and was looking for a diet plan that would suit my needs and also be acceptable to my husband. The words "healthy lifestyle" struck me - this was the plan I needed.

I discovered that teams develop individual personalities and we have to search through several different boards before we find others just like us! When you find that board and meet people from all over the world who share much in common with you, it makes this healthy lifestyle journey so much more fun.

I've been fortunate to find the right boards and meet people who feel like your next door neighbor although continents may separate us. This is one of the joys of living in the age we live in. We can develop these friendships across vast distances and discover that people all over the world face the same problems we do. For that, I am forever grateful to SP.

I am on boards with people younger than my grandchildren, people the age of my children, and others who are my age or older - all with one thing in common. Learning a healthy lifestyle and supporting others who are making the journey with them.

There is a lot to learn from others when posting on the boards. It is fun to discuss what works, what doesn't work for individuals - and it's fun when someone confesses to an indulgence. We all do. I've discovered over the past year that the ones who use laughter to make the journey easier are the ones who are making the most progress. It may only be a half pound every two weeks, but they laugh and keep on trying. The weight is going and they are overcoming many obstacles.

What a joy it is to sit down and talk to others just like me. It has been so interesting to learn the different lifestyles of those I've met on SP yet find out that we have much in common to! Life happens and we cry together over losses and illness, cheer over marriages and new babies, and a close bond has been formed that I never realized was possible with people I have never met.