News that made me Cry

Tears of Joy of course. I got e-mail today from a woman I have "known" for many years. "Known" in the sense of keeping up with her personal life, sharing in idea's, frustrations, illness...even swaps. She is an on line friend that I cherish. We do not write every day and I have never had the pleasure of her company...but she is indeed a "friend".
She has been very supportive through out my journey...dropping me little lines now and then, letting me know she's still on board and reading things I talk about.
Along the way people have gotten down right nasty to me, feeling that I strongly promote the RNY surgery and put down the Band...which as a Mentor I should not be doing...and I don't. I tell MY story, what RNY has done for ME and if the Band has caused problems for close friends, I talk about that as well. I do not think the Band is for everyone. I've seen the success, but after a while it isn't that the band stops working...People become complacent and stop working with the Band...it is only a tool, not some fail safe gadget that will work without you making an effort and staying committed to that effort. Yo yo dieters seldom stay committed to anything that has to do with food...If they did, they wouldn't be yoyo's would they? Most of us have no problem losing weight, keeping it off is another story and that is where I am convinced that I would have failed the band...I have a weak mind, what can I say.
My friend who has decided to have Band surgery is not like me. She has fought cancer many times and won her battle. She is strong willed and strong minded. She will use the Band as a tool to fight obesity and in doing so she will get healthier. She is not looking to be a beauty queen or a runway model, she wants to be healthier...vanity plays no part in her desire to want to be with her family for many, many years. In other words , she is doing this for all the right reasons and has the mind set to do very well with the Band. I am extremely proud of her. It takes courage to admit to yourself that you NEED a tool, especially when you are as strong as she is. She has over come a great deal of adversity and it has made her stronger. I know her family is supportive of anything she does, so I know she will succeed.
She has told me that I am her inspiration... when in fact she has inspired me more times then she will ever know. She's made it very difficult for me to even think about whining, she has inspired me to meet my battles head on and fight with everything I have.
I treasure her and I support her in this new Journey