A member's overview of the peer-to-peer support to be found on Wikivorce.
“I often think of Wikivorce as a lifeboat, trawling the seas of despair, looking for lost souls, and rescuing them. Once on board, you discover that you are not the only lost soul, there is a whole community of us, all with our own stories to tell and our own emotions to deal with. The support, advice and friendship to be found in Wiki is amazing, truly amazing. I know that if I hadn’t have found Wiki, I would have drowned in that cold dark sea of despair, and I think the same may be said for others. Sometimes just having someone who will listen to you, no matter how blue you feel, makes the world of difference - and makes you realise that you are not alone.”
Wikivorce is a community, in all senses of the word – we share a common experience, and despite our own anguish, we are still able to reach out to others who need that contact with another. We won’t all see eye-to-eye, that is to be expected, and it would be somewhat dull of we all agreed on everything. Shared experiences, advice and help freely given, being able to hear an opposing viewpoint/experience, the support (and laughter) to be found in the chat-room, and of course, the behind-the-scenes support that I mentioned previously. Friendships gained - both virtual and in person - are something again that promotes the sense of community, and we meet others that we would never have met without Wiki – think of all those friendships (and relationships, and a number of weddings) that have been formed simply from joining a divorce support community! Wikivorce is almost unique among support groups in that it has a singular aim of helping all those facing divorce and separation without cost or bias.
I’ve often heard others say that finding Wiki is a life-saver, not least because they no longer feel alone. Divorce and family break-ups are still so very isolating – how many here have lost friends in the aftermath of a separation, have struggled to find others who understand the raw pain and sense of grief that comes when a marriage or long-term relationship ends – I think most of us have experienced that.
But while we have all of the above in abundance, Wikivorce would not be what is if it were not for its members – it is you that makes Wikivorce work. Without our members, Wiki would be an empty shell, devoid of structure and fabric; to me you are the heart and soul of Wiki and our community. So, thank you for being why Wiki works.
