Does anyone else ever feel....

Mollymoo,
 
I consider you a regular - you may be newer than me, but you've posted alot and I know your name. Raja too.  And of course Amy!
 
 Some of my experiences........1) I frequently feel like a thread killer as mine is the last on a multi page thread.  And lots of times my post has a question in it.  So, not only did my question not get answered, but I killed the thread!  Aarrgh.  That doesn't feel good!   But, I forget about it and move on
 
2) I agree with Glenda about being so overwhelmed on threads that need prayers that it is just too emotional or time crunching to answer all.  But I am convinced that every time you post a prayer or a word of encourgement that the OP does see it and does appreciate it.  How can anyone not appreiate multiple support from anyone?  Many times I have read your posts of encourgament on threads I didn't even post on - some I did, some I didn't.  So, even I have noticed your posts and I appreciate your being there for these people.  I really do.  Some people have a gift of encouragement and support - and that does get noticed - and can easily be noticed by someone who didn't even post, but may also get benefit from reading what you wrote.
 
3)  READ THIS --->   (Don't want you to miss this one, cause I think it may also be a factor in your experience).    I have noticed many, many times that I am reading a thread, and I go to post a reply / answer.  Of course other people may be posting and sending while I am (slowly) writing, and I don't know about that post ---> but that's not what I am refering to here.  What happens many times as well, to me, is that I am replying, and while I am replying, I want to go back and read something, so I scroll down the page while I am on the page for replying.   
 
And what do I see?   But another post -the last one - that I never saw when I started to reply.  I think what happens, maybe is a post gets on the second page, and I don't realize there is a second page, so I answer post from the first page.  Someone on the second page would be ignored by me, simply b/c I did not know those posts were there.    Make sense?
 
I think many of us really do appreciate the others on this forum - we just don't share that enough!

I think I go in between posting a lot and lurking a lot.  I tend to post more in non-dog related and lurk in the dog sections because I am still learning about dogs and don't often have any more advice to add that hasn't been added.  I can't go to the Rainbow Bridge section very often and actually read b/c I always end up sobbing and in tears.  I do browse who is posting there though from time to time.

There have been many times I have posted on a busy thread and by the time I finish writing my reply and post, there are a number of other posts above me that op up and sometimes the OP will post immedietly after me and it looks like they skipped my post but what I think has really happened is I was posting as they were typing therefore they were already replying before my post had even actually shown up but I post before them so it comes up first in line.  Not sure if that made any sense.  (See I read Chasza's post but then I just went back and reread and she basically said the same thing and even said READ THIS SO you don't miss it but I did.)

Anyway, you have to learn to not take things personally.  I often post a question and ready every response and never post again to that topic unless someone has asked me a question back or I come up with another question or I have an update to add.  It doesn't mean I didn't get a ton of value from the responses.  I think everyone has different styles of how they browse and post and to each his own.  But I assure you, even if you think the OP has missed your post, there are a lot of other people out there lurking that are reading that have noticed what you said and are getting something from your posts. 

I think too that sometimes in the threads where someone has asked for prayers they are sooooo stressed that responding to everyone is too much work.

I was thinking the same thing.  Perhaps the replys from OP to individuals (oldbies as you call them []) are because those individuals know the history of the dog and therefore have an enhanced perspective on the dog. I wouldn't take it so personally.  Your prayers are valuable, even if you're not thanked individually for them.

Okay, I'm going to be the jerk... if anyone is offering something like prayers/support/encouragement, it should be for the purpose of expressing those feelings, not to get recognition for them.

Of course it still stings a little bit to feel slighted or ignored. I completely understand how you're feeling - in fact, there's an active thread in which the same thing happened to me in this section of the forum even! (Poster 1: I'm so sorry! Me: I'm so sorry! OP: Thanks, poster 1... the messages were several hours apart, too.)

It's important to keep some perspective and not take things personally. I think a lot of times any post at all, even if it's just to say something dumb like "bummer!", is really important. And if you're sending prayers for someone, they'll be heard by somebody at least, and that somebody (God) is the only one who really matters anyways.

There are only a very few posters I don't enjoy reading, and none of them has responded to this thread. Everyone is valuable on a forum like this, even the ones who only post 2 times a year or the ones who seem to go unnoticed (but don't necessarily). I truly don't believe anyone feels that some people's prayers are more important than others. Just sometimes recognition of the contribution isn't always equitable, ya know?

Mollymoo, I think you are very sweet and considerate...I notice that you always have kind words for others who's dogs are in a rough place. I know that if Schmee was sick or hurt you'd be worried about her.

That being said, when I posted pictures of Schmee, you didn't reply saying how beautifull and cute she was. [] Did I take it personally? No...you have a life outside of this forum, and maybe it fell to the bottom before you saw it, or you didn't have time, or there was a more pressing post somewhere else on the board you felt you needed to reply to...

People notice.

Thanks for the replies. Everything that you guys said makes total sense. You put my mind back on track again. Thanks

ORIGINAL: alieliza

Ok, so I just have to say...

Its amazing how many views a thread can get, and how little responses... I guess that's the lurkers?

 
I think that is very, very true.  If you go into the section where all the registered forum members are listed alphabetically by log-in name, you'll be quite amazed by how many people are registered  but who never post at all.  The lurkers significantly outnumber the active posters - assuming those people are actively lurking. []
 
Joyce