I attended 3 high schools back when "leaving one's friends" meant REALLY LEAVING them unless we wrote letters.
In 2021 we have so many alternatives to stay connected to the friends we have made here

The Spark community is what made this place special. That was our strength. The name said it all – SparkPEOPLE
As individuals, we could have found tools anywhere and advice from experts has always been just a google search away.

Instead we were one tapestry woven with the threads of our individual journeys.
One quilt composed of a multiple “squares” of special focus teams
We each had our own journey but settled into personalized niches under one large umbrella.

Our strength is still evident as Sparkers are stepping up to link us together through websites, google groups, FB special interest groups or just plain sharing email addresses.

I’m very glad that Chris is healthy and this change was to pursue the more lucrative corporate model rather than because of a health issue
I will always be grateful for his book that turned my husband into the “Stealth Sparker” and ultimately saved his life.
Joe’s doctors were quite clear that if he hadn’t been “in good shape” he never would have survived his emergency brain surgery in 2016, let alone made a full recovery at age 71.

Ironically, Spark Guy echoed that same advice in his blog regarding his own brain surgery in 2018.
My Brain Tumor Story

As for the shut down, I saw the writing on the wall quite awhile ago.
In my life I’ve seen enough “benign neglect” of buildings, companies, organizations and websites to know something must be in the works

I have maintained my own website since 1997 and now all my blogs are located there as well.
They are a record of my wonderful 12 year Spark Journey, a very important part of my life.

When I joined SP in 2009, I was a hermit.
It took me 3 years to write my first blog and as I wrote then, my only friend was the “guy whose job it is to be my friend.” Yes, Spark Guy.

Suddenly, MJZHERE added me as a friend. Little by little I learned the power of this community.
I never deleted a friend. Even when they fell silent, I always hoped they would return.
Now I see one page after another “going dark”

Next Tuesday will be my 74th birthday and I will celebrate the fact that SP set me on a healthy path and 11 years of maintaining my goal weight
I often wrote that I logged in every morning for my “daily dose of motivation”
My motivation came from connecting with individuals but in the end motivation must come from within.

We are all an “Experiment of One.” May you all find the path that is right for you

Eileen
http://www.brigs.us/portfolio/index-blogs-2021.htm
The link there to my home page gives more information