Perhaps all is not lost….
It has been an neverending source of amazement to me that no matter how low things get in STARFLEET, somehow the sense of who and what we are never seems to get lost.
Without going into needless and boring detail, my mother suffered one life threatening and one very serious medical problem, one right after the other, spending the largest part of 16 days between Intensive Care and step down units. I notified Peter, who is both the CO of our chapter and a good friend of over 20 years, and the SFI List Mods group that I would be pretty much out of pocket as they say. Pete took it upon himself to post what was going on to various lists, which I had not problem with.
What really kind of amazed me, not that it should have, was the notes of support I received, both on lists and in private email, while I dealt with this unexpected turn of events. Many from people I have never heard of. I logged into IRC and immediately had 4 people ask me how she was doing. Including one person whom I’ve had many differences of opinion with, some getting rather heated, in the past. One person asked for an address, and mailed her a card which brought a much needed smile to her face.
This is the STARFLEET that I remember from years ago. Where regardless of what we think, how we believe, or past differences, when something disasterous happens to one - we saddle up and send words of encouragement. Perhaps to many this means very little. In my case, it was a source of strength at a time when I needed it most. It also brought home to me that I’ve been very lax in doing the same for others.
Why, you may be thinking, is he babbling about this? Simply put - In this time of turmoil, aggravation, wondering if STARFLEET is going to survive, and drawing lines in the sand at times, when it comes right down to it the type of people we associate with here do not really change. We are, in some respects, a very large dysfunctional family that is much more then problems our current administration bring to the table.
Tomorrow, some of these same people and I will be back sniping at each other over whether a tribble has red blood or purple, or if Member’s Matter, or Sal needs to be pushed out an airlock. But in the back of mind will be that one spark that says despite it all: I’m Glad I’m a member of Starfleet because I have gotten to know many people of good character.
(7 votes, average: 2.57 out of 5)
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