How Senshido Changed My Life....

How often am I going to get all serious on posts two days in a row... Yeah, don't let it go to your heads and no, I am not ill, thank you for asking.
Yes, I've posted and I've posted and I've posted about Senshido or the "shredder" concept. I've explained its usability, its effectiveness and it's ease of "apply-ability" (I know it's not a word, but if you think about what I'm trying to say, you'll understand...) The simplicity of being able to deliver mild discomfort to utter devastation depending on the situation and your intent.
Okay... So how did it change my life? Well, besides the fact that I walked away having learned a valuable self defense concept that I can use, apply, manipulate, and get to work despite my lack of coordination, strength, size and "ability", I've come to realize that it's not just about this "concept". It's about the "added benefits", the "bonus points", everything else that comes along with what Senshido IS. Not at its base  or outer level, but beyond that. It's core.... It is about the "community of people" associated with it. Think about it. Any "form" or "concept" starts with a foundation and "the people" help it to "become"...
I have come across the most amazing group of people I have ever "met" in my life. Not just a little bit...
I've described the "people of Senshido" as "without ego", fun, helpful, and just being downright good people. The "friends" I've come across either directly through Senshido or once removed (friends of friends) are amazing. From (literally) all across the states and all over the world, my online friendships have been some of the most genuine I've ever come across. I know, I know... Online friendship? Genuine? Mia... That's CRAZY! The thing of it is, the friendships I've formed with some of these people is something that I am truly grateful for and they are really, truly  nothing short of awesome...
It's not to say that I don't have some of THE most awesome "non-virtual friends", because I do. I've been blessed to know a lot of different people, some of whom I'm "rediscovering" now. They know, have seen and experienced first hand the scope and range of my "-ness" and yet they stick around anyway...  (I love you guys!)
Just like those friends, the Senshido people have never expected anything from me and accepted who I was from the get go. They also "know" or have been told (or warned, depending on how you look at it really...) that my "online persona" is so much cooler than "real life" me. And yet there was never judgment, never any harshness and I certainly never felt a "better than you" -ness in their "conversations" with me.
They've been cool enough to check in just to see how I'm doing, picked me up when I was down, offered me some of the greatest advice, answered questions with informative answers helping me to achieve goals in my own "personal growth" as well as in aspects of my life that had nothing to do with self defense or self improvement and they came to my aid when I needed help. Sight unseen, no strings, no expectations. They've shared with me, cried with me, laughed with me, joked with me, driven many a thread into the ground with me, carried me through worries and sorrows and celebrated great joys with me. Everything that makes a true and solid friendship is there in spades. They are people, who I will feel cheated in life if I don't get to meet them in person.  People I feel I know well enough to know that their sentiments are genuine and true. This is my props to them. My tribute to them, as it were (as pathetic as the attempt is... My apologies...)
An incident occurred. I will not and cannot explain further here. I reached out for help. Within moments, I got responses from all over. Like a world wide web of family members converging and answering a call to arms, I got help in spades. I was in tears. ...Still am... It's an amazing feeling of camaraderie, a feeling of belonging, a feeling of a close knit bond that only comes from friendships that rival familial love. (A great, big, giant, super duper special thanks regarding this "incident" to Rich, Chris, Georges, Craig, Adam, Paul, GEE and Roadrunner. You still have no idea what it all means to all of us and someday we hope we will be able to repay the favor many times over...)
They refer to each other as "brother" or "sister". Not in that creepy cult kind of way, but in a way that makes all feel welcome, like family, regardless of race, creed, color, religious affiliation, beliefs, etc. Everyone brings their own "flavor", their own flair, their own ideas, their own sense of self. (I've been told that every seminar is like a big family reunion with family members you hadn't yet met. Now, how cool is that?)
There is a certain mentality that the people of Senshido have. Call it "heart". Call it a "philosophy". It may be because of the creator of the concept, Rich Dimitri surrounds himself with a certain "type" of people who just "get it". Or, it may just be that we're all a bunch of kooky individuals who "found" each other, birds of a feather being what they are... Whatever the case, a more caring, understanding, helpful, kind and lovable bunch you will be hard pressed to find. From informative discussions to downright hilarious antics and sending a thread southbound on the express train, there's never a dull moment. It's all good and it's all fun. And when it comes time to circle the wagons, they come out selflessly, no questions asked (well, some questions, but all pertinent to the situation to best handle it), with all the support and kindness that some families don't even have. Something as simple as "Can we talk?" or "Can I ask you for some advice?" to "The shit has hit the fan and I could REALLY use some help!" and I've gotten more than I could have thought or even hoped for from the far reaches and every corner of the globe. Not too many can claim to have that from your average "virtual friendship".
These are people who are passionate about everything that they do and show passion and compassion in whatever they do. And it shows. They carrying around enormous hearts of gold willing to "do some shit", to help someone in need. And that is proven in spades all the time, every day. I get to be associated with that community and it feels great. I am humbled every day by many of these people in what they do in their every day lives, in who they are and what they do. And dang it, they'll tell me that they aren't doing anything special, it's just what they do. It's just who they are.
I stumbled with words to try and properly convey the grateful sentiments that I needed to and wanted to get across, to convey the absolute and total feeling of "THANK YOU SO MUCH" responding to all the "everything" that I got. Rich put it so simply and said to me, "Anytime Mia... anything, anytime... you got family world wide. ;`)"     I get it now....
It boils down to this... I know that I am nothing special. Sure I do what I can, when I can and put my heart and soul into it. I go out and do. I'm coming to find that maybe I'm not such a bad person especially because I've got help to guide me along on my "path". But it's the people whom I've chosen to surround myself with that MAKE me special because they're teaching me to be better. Between this post and the last, I can only hope that I've covered some "Thank you"s  that were long overdue... Thanks y'all...