Over two years ago I joined my first forum. I was sixteen, feeling out of place. For the first two months I never ventured out of the fanfic section and spent my time online posting my own stories and reading those of others, waiting for reviews and learning to improve. My first chaptered story that I actually finished posting - and it remains so to this day - involved a character who I based on nothing and no one in particular. But he grew and changed, beyond what I had planned, and I fell in love with him. It was actually on this very day, two years ago, I realized I loved him.

I felt even more out of place with this secret burning inside me. I was almost scared to tell. But I did; I told two people, my two closest friends at the time. Both supported me, and with this new courage, I did a bit of searching and (after a false start I don't want to remember) I found my place; a discussion thread on that very forum. On that thread, I posted with my heart in my throat and had to instantly log off to stop myself from wanting to delete the post. A while later I went back and found that two people had replied, welcoming me with open arms. One of them was someone who would soon become a very close friend (and who still is).

The two of them invited me to a club I'd seem several times but never had the courage to post in. Here I introduced myself properly, met a lot more people, and started feeling like I belonged. From here I found my way onto a different forum populated by the same people, and before long onto a chatroom and a private site (where three of us started blogs that continue to this day, even though the site is down and may never return). Sometime during this, the thread where I had originally met two of the people was locked. It had been struggling for some time and we weren't surprised to see it go.

Honestly, if it weren't for that club I would never have met any of the people I talk to regularly. I wouldn't have realized I'm a furry. I never would have joined this site or found the PCA. I owe everything in my life at the moment to that club.

Today, the club was locked. I feel like a part of me has died. There are so many people who could have benefitted from it like I did, who could have found their home there, but who never will now. Several lost people in the world may never find their way.

I hope those who disapproved and flamed us are happy. We have our separate place and we won't bother them again on their forum, but many people who hadn't found us yet may suffer because of this. Take your victory. I hope it keeps you warm at night.

(As a note - this is in no way related to the PCA or anything at all on FA. It's just something I needed to say.)