It just starts with a ‘Like’…  [also titled as Dear Sandra – part 2]

… not even a Like for a blog posting, but just a Like that Stephanie clicked for a short comment I left for Vic’s post-hunting trip photos of a worm.

This is how I discovered Stephanie, then after reading her Masks of Me poem and About page, I immediately added her blog to follow and resolved to revise my About Us page, especially to forewarn potential readers about my bad grammar and overuse of inapproriate punctuation marks (in my To-do list).

The very next day, I receive email notification of her next post, which was her ‘Call to Arms’ in response to Sandra’s emotional distress.  This kind and compassionate post, aptly titled “Sharing the Lovejuice“, got my Creative Juices flowing.  You see, this interaction was a perfect example of ‘blogging therapy in action’.  The number of similar anecdotal accounts in the comments, further supports how frequent  this type of positive interaction happens in the blogosphere.

I am relatively new to blogging, only starting regular posts 2 months ago.  This Stephanie/Sandra interaction has reinforced my interest to explore how healing encounters in the blogosphere could be better facilitated, beyond the great work the WordPress or other blog platforms provide.  As a family physician, with interest in research and evidence-based medicine, I have already formulated a raw vision of what a ‘blogging therapy’ site might provide.

Why I am sharing a concept of what might be the next super startup?  I guess I don’t have the time or skills to do this alone, and being an anonymous blogger makes it even more difficult.  I have decided my next step is to create a team of passionate bloggers, preferrably with some web design / programming experience, to help refine my ideas and make it happen.  Maybe I’ll draft some ‘position descriptions’ and conduct virtual interviews – we’ll see.  Volunteers?

Why am I so interested in this now?   My skills and experience as a family physician, hasn’t always been so helpful to guide my ability to support and respond to our family challenges with depression.  But the experiences of other depression sufferers or their partners, shared through the blogosphere, has been a critically important influence on me, even within very short period of time (you can ask my wife).  SO, this seems like a great way to payback the “Lovejuice”, at the same time providing a healthy, creative distraction from my day-job and family stresses.

What can you do to help?  By reading this, sharing this, Liking this… you’re already helping.  If you think you might be interested in more involvement than that, let me know in comments/email.  I envisage that my ideas are only a starting point, and that insights from more experienced bloggers like you, will help incubate my vision into a  ‘sensational’ site, that will really get the Lovejuices flowing!!