Forum Thread

In All Of Time and Space

I never thought that when I joined this site that I would immediately become so involved and meet so many wonderful people. This was proven today, on the 24th day of December, the 24th day of the Advent Calendar 2015.

Back Story:
I went on here on Friday, December 18th, 2015, saying (not for attention or gifts or sympathy) that I may not be here anymore because I was far too depressed and was planning on killing myself.
Mind you, my family is very poor, I am not expecting gifts this year due to the fact that we don't have money for gifts, but that is not why I was so depressed. My family is destroyed. My father left in 2011 and took my brother. My father was abusive when I was little, but I never let him harm my brother or mom, so I always took the beating. After he left, he became a better father, but I never get to see that side of him. I rarely ever see them and my mother is constantly depressed and we can barely make rent. We have to go to a food pantry every month, and I go days without eating. My (now ex) boyfriend (as of Monday) was constantly taking his anger out on me, making me feel worthless, more than I ever have felt in my life and I constantly blame myself for having a broken family.

So many people, even people I wasn't friends with, private messaged me, commented, and did everything they could to get my mindset out of it. Someone even quoted a very important quote from Doctor Who to try and help and it made cry to see so much support from people who only know me as a username.

It worked.

Fast Forward to Today:
This community that has been created, this open forum for ideas and friendships, has become something more than just a game. Some people see it as a game, but a lot more people see it as an escape or a way to talk to friends without judgement. This site is the only site I have ever been on that bullying and judgement just doesn't exist, and that alone is truly a blessing in its own right.

Quote from TonyPanda

thats why this site is different than all the 10000s of other pokemon sites out there... people actually interact and help each other. . . its people of all backgrounds making a community of their own

It has become something more than just money, or items and pokemon; it's friendships, loving people you only know as a username, being there for people who are literally on the other side of the world who care for you more than the people who are 3 miles away from you.

I made a tag earlier today, even made a typo, and somehow it went viral. I only made it to show my gratitude because earlier I was talking to one of my friends on here about how I wanted Premium and I didn't have the money to get it as money is tight, I'm currently not medically cleared to work and have a few surgeries coming up to try to figure out what is wrong with my system as I'm throwing up blood constantly. I am not making this post to make people feel sorry for me or make them send me gifts because that is NOT what I want, I am trying to bring these things to light.

The tag is #ThankyouRaiko (yes, again, I'm aware of the typo) because he gave a gift that so many of us on here don't get the pleasure of having due to financial issues. Then I noticed that as soon as I posted it, it suddenly was everywhere. It was a tag that was for thanking him for his wonderful gift for all of us here on PH. Regardless of status, where any of us are from, what we identify as, or anything else;
Pokeheroes has brought us all together as a community, more than social media ever has.

We don't judge, we don't fight, although we have problems here and there, we know who we can depend on as friends. We know who is important enough in our lives to go out of our way to talk them out of suicide or harming themselves. I don't know of any other community that would do that. Facebook, Twitter, any other Social Media outlet would not have the type of community stronghold that we do. We love each other, the close friendships we have developed, we would go to the ends of the earth to help the great friends we have found on here, and it is completely evident in the posts we read everyday. Even from our amazing Admins. We see the love and adoration they have for each other and its truly amazing.

This gift we got today, the 24th door of the Advent Calendar, gave everyone a chance to be equal, regardless of money, status, or level. We are such a strong community and this alone makes me so happy. I have tears from the fact that the community came together to spread the tags:

#ThankyouRiako

#ThankyouRaiko

#PraiseRiako

because it shows so much solidarity and it gives me so much hope for the world.
Thank you everyone for showing me how important all of you are to me.
Honestly though, not just me, but to your friends, and the entire community. Every single individual reading this is so incredibly important, never forget how important you are, because there will always be someone on here who will miss you if you leave this world.

very well said River .. that is the best thing i have read all day

---

this is so beautiful River <3
it is so true, and this place has actually been the only place that i am accepted for who i really am.
i can't talk about all the stuff i want to with my 'friends' since they think I'm annoying, yet when i try to leave they wonder what they did wrong, so I'm unable to find other friends.
other than that, the people on this game are the reason i didn't suicide a few days ago, because of family wars.
We must not only thank Riako for the equality and Happiness he has brought to all of us,
because if poke heroes never existed, some of us may not have lived to see Christmas 2015.
-
I don't want to only thank Riako, everyone needs to be thanked. Although there are some scammers on this game, we are a proud and strong community of pkm fans. This is the only place i feel like home.
<3

---

This is the best thing i've read today, stay strong, if you ever need someone to talk to palpad me i will be here because i've went through alot of the same stuff <3

---

ApolloTheEspeon, MidnightLover, and TonyPanda, this post was never meant to be about me.
This post was about how much the community has brought so many diverse people together through one simple concept of a childhood game we all grew up on and loved so dearly. We all loved these games. This no longer was just a game, it was a learning experience, and a beloved community that grew to an astounding number with an abundance of love.
This community is probably the best thing that has happened to most people here.
I cannot stress this enough, BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER because you never know how you can impact someone's life.
You are worth so much more than you think you are.
This community has made me believe that time and time again.
Everyone who has contributed to this wonderful community deserves to be praised.
But only if you've been contributed in a good way. Not manipulating people, because unfortunately, some people are awful.
Not all, though, and that's wonderful.
Always look on the brightside.

Thank you so much for posting this, RiverSong.

This is beautiful. I agree, this is one fantastic community we have here, and I am so grateful to all of those who have made it so.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and to all a good night.

---