Yesterday was a fantastic day.... It started out with a trek to London Ontario where a group of people that had never met before gathered at a Montana's restaurant to have lunch together. A family of sorts, people from all walks of life.

This group I am talking about is, of course, our own little Barix support group, 33 people braved the cold and came from as far away as North Bay and Michigan to meet each other and put a face to the screen names we have all been using for the longest time.

I know when I first went to Barix, pre surgery, they told me about this online "forum" and how it was a great support tool and yadda, yadda, yadda and I thought to myself, yeah right. It all sounded kind of sappy actually, the idea that a bunch of people who can't even see each other can help one another... well, let's just say I wasn't "buying into it"

After a few months on these support boards however, I can truly say that I have "met" some great people and learned a lot about obesity and myself. Yesterday proved to me that this group of people, from all walks of life and from all over truly have one thing in common and any differences we have with each other are put aside because of this common bond. This to me is the true definition of family.

The conversations were excellent and some even unexpected, and meeting everyone was truly an exciting experience.

After the lunch, a few people went back to a friends hotel room and stayed to chat for a while longer, these friends were Mark and Colleen. People that I first met at my original consultation back in September and since have become close personal friends with.

Special thanks go out to Jean for organizing the day, to Mark and Colleen for opening their arms to everyone at the lunch and having the kindness in their hearts that they do, to Kelly, for talking about your sons poop in a video:) and for everyone that took the effort and drove from so far away to go and have lunch with a bunch of complete strangers. This is a special group of people, and I love you all.

Wayne