What is Winning Worth?

To the nay-sayers and right fighters,
  I bet you are sitting here at your computer rather proud of yourself right now. You think you managed to run me away from the things I cherish most in life. You think because I closed my fake store selling fake furniture on the internet I am a broken and beaten old lady. See that little smug smile on your face right now? That is all you have gained from this experience. I on the other hand have gained something vastly more valuable.
  You see this picture up there? That's me and my kids. They are part of the amazing gift that Second Life has given to me. I met the love of my life there, he's down the hall being amazing. And well, I gave birth to my starfish so good luck trying to get that to go away. But these people in this pretty okay picture, these are the most wonderful things I have got in my life right now. And these things, nothing you do is going to make them go away.

  Second Life brought my best friend into my life too, she would stand by me through a hurricane and not flinch. She is my family too, but my family out in this big old scary world we all actually live in too. See, these people, I told of my mistakes and they didn't judge, they didn't make me feel like I was this horrible person you all are trying to make me out to be. They loved me and accepted that I am not perfect and that like all human beings, I made a mistake and it was something I never intended to do and when I found out I did what I could to make it right.
  So in the end you may have got me to take down my store. Which to be honest, you didn't make me do, I chose not to play this game with you all. I do not have to explain anything I did to anyone, I am nearly 40 years old... this stuff didn't fly in high school and certainly it doesn't really go over too well now that its about 20 years later. You didn't take the love of my life, my child, my friends... all you did was show how much of a coward a person can be, making accusations and throwing slanderous words around and cant even be adult enough to say it yourself. You think you won something here, but I am sorry to say you didn't.

For whatever is happening to you in your life to make you so sad and hateful I am truly sorry. I never thought bullying people on the internet was the right thing to do, and frankly you may think you feel better but I am certain when you are alone in your room at night you feel anything but good inside. See, hate is a disease. It eats away at what makes  us amazing in life. I am really sorry that you feel these actions are the ones you should be taking. I may have gotten things off the internet but I am woman enough to say I did, apologize and move on. I already had this last year with a group of people, maybe even you yourself. I had a bottle of pain killers ready to end it all, I had never had anyone or anything make me feel that low in a very long time. But I got past that low point in my life and I will get past what you have tried to accomplish as well.
  Dont you worry your pretty little head none, I wont open my store again because the harassment from those who choose to believe this lie is not worth losing the joy of what I love to do in SL, which is Create. So I dont make kids furniture anymore.... I can still take a picture, I can still do anything I want to. But dont fool yourselves, you will not drive me from those I love and who love me. It isnt possible because when you have real friends that is how this all plays out.

So I wish you a good life whoever you are, have a cookie, get a hug... go do something with your life besides sit in front of a computer and try to bring others into misery. I guarantee you will feel better in the end.

XOXO,
Brie