“We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.” George W. Bush.
I often reiterate my firm belief that the best things in life are both free and priceless. The friendship that results from blogging is one of these things – from a jumble of words in cyberspace emerges the miracle of communication, complicity and trust linking human beings across the globe who smile, laugh and cry together.
Recently, this friendship was essential to me after a death in my family – I shed hot, humble and grateful tears when I saw the support and concern expressed by my blogging friends. This is proof that blogging friendship is anything but virtual – it is a real, reliable rock to which I willingly clung. So thank you. (MM wipes nose on sparkly Diva dress.)
Today, I am asking you to extend that support to a fellow blogger.
On your travels around the blogosphere, it is highly probable that you have bumped into Rara. Rara is the world’s most beautiful dino-blogger. She doesn’t roar, she RAWRS. She knows how to write like no other dino-human, but she doesn’t stop at that. Rara has an incredible talent for creating a lasting relationship with her readers. She is sweet, kind, fun, optimistic, creative and just downright rawr-some. I never saw the slightest trace of negativity on her blog -she boosted my day and inundated my soul with optimism. Yup, all that.
Until this weekend, when I discovered a post that made me choke up and cry. It was a good-bye post. Rara has been accused of theft, and is in jail until her court hearing. You can call me naive if you wish, but I can only base my opinion of Rara on what I have read and my contact with her… and it simply doesn’t add up.
Rara has helped me in the past. So what could I do to help her? I wanted to rent a T-Rex to save her from jail and bite her accuser on the butt, but all the T-Rex stock was already taken. I can’t pay her bail.
A T-Rex like this one would do just fine (Photo credit: Scott Kinmartin).
But I can write. So I sat down with my notepaper and wrote a letter to Rara. Words are like hot chocolate, but better. They have the power to soothe, to nurture hope and smiles. A letter is warm. Reassuring. It offers an escape route you can travel again and again. Friendship. Humour. The simple fact that someone, somewhere, has taken a few minutes to write that letter can momentarily make life better: it tells the recipient that he or she is not just anyone, but really somebody for someone.
So if you can do one thing today, please be that someone for a blogger who is not just somebody, but really something. If you know Rara, please write her a few lines. If you don’t know Rara, write her a few lines too. THE ADDRESS CAN BE FOUND HERE.
The best things in life are free – and support and friendship among bloggers is one of those miraculous, precious things. Alone, each of us is just one person. But add us together, and we can make a big difference for one person and her family – today, that person is RARA.
Those who can make a financial donation to help, or send a care parcel to her husband Grayson and their cats, are welcome to do so. Follow the above link to Rara’s blog for more details.
Multifarious meanderings 
You are a good and kind friend, MM.
Just trying to help, Jo. I checked on prison guidelines: only five books are allowed per person. Just imagine if we could send more volume than that in mail.
I’m a long-time letter-writer for Amnesty International and I know what a difference a simple letter can make to the life of a prisoner. Well done for raising this, MM, and I hope Rara and her husband get lots of support.
Cheers, Miss P. I hope that the support Rara always gave to other bloggers will be returned to her and her family.
You’re a wonderful friend MM, this post is truly lovely xxx
Cheers, Welly Girl. Now scoot off to Rara’s pad, find out why I’m all fired up then get your pen out and scribe her a missive 🙂
I haven’t come across Rara before but what a terrible time for her and her family. Good on you for supporting Rara. I’m glad to see you back in action 🙂 x
Hey BW 🙂 Rara is a GEM. Have a read
agg. Gizmo strikes again. (Nothing to do with that glass of wine. hic.) As I was saying, have a read on her blog. She’s one of those bloggers who just spreads happiness. I hope she gets home to her hubby and her cats asap, not to say PDQ – she’s too lovely to be in jail.
I’m crap at writing letters – but I’ve made a small donation
Hope that helps !
Duncan, 1: you’re a diamond. 2. I’m sure that you are very good at writing letters. It’s never too late to try 🙂
You are very kind.
I’m just spreading the love – that’s what blogging’s about. Hugs, Chica!
🙂
I guess Rara won’t mind my horrible handwriting. It will help her to pass the time of day deciphering my letter. I’m off to find pen and paper. You are a very good girl. But we all knew that.
Yeah! Hieroglyphics will be a great activity to keep her rawring 🙂 You have now been promoted to the status of sweet heart cupcake with sugar sparkles on top. Hugs xxx
That is just so me. ❤
Nice thoughts…I’ve followed the link up..
Hi there, young man! Thanks for following it up – then grab a pen and paper and tell Rara about life as an expat photo-taking foodie in France 😀
I had a quick look at her blog and was horrified by the situation she finds herself in. I fear that justice will not be served because of the stature of the other person involved, and we all know how justice tends to favour the rich and powerful…
I don’t know Rara or her blog but I’ll try and write something this weekend. Nice one, MM, for trying to help out yer mate.
Whoop whoop, another letter! (MM hops up and down on spot and spills her coffee on the kitchen floor). THANK YOU!
Isn’t it appalling? Talk about tilting at windmills. The man is adding insult to injury. I hope that we can generate so much mail that the Sheriff will work out that she is not a criminal type. The fact that the guards have to read all the mail is another good reason to get as much mail to her as possible. It’ll keep them busy and maybe make them wonder too.
This all seems terribly harsh when she hasn’t even been found guilty yet. I’m going to sit down and have a read this evening and get a letter in the post. I hope a Turkish stamp won’t add to her woes.
B to B, you ROCK, girl. I’m sure she’ll be thrilled to see stamps from all over the world and read, read, read. Do you know if there is some form of compensation for people who have been imprisoned to wait for trials and are found innocent? It’s just awful.
Saddened by her story MM!! Made me wonder how many innocent people give up because they can’t fight those with clout! She is fortunate to have the support of friends such as you in her time of need. Shall do my best to help and share.
Hi, Madhu! I agree – but there is nothing braver than fighting the machine, and I hope that Rara will have the help of a good, honest lawyer with an intelligent, honest judge and that this will soon be over. When she gets home, I hope she’ll write the story. In the the mean while, she has to keep her head above water and smile – and that’s where those letters come in to the equation. Thanks, Madhu – every letter is another hug 🙂
MM you are a really good friend, we all need friends just like you!
Blogging is all about being friends. That sounds really trite, but true nevertheless. Hugs xx
I saw this on someone else’s blog last week, but with the whole going to a funeral thing I didn’t have a chance to think about letter writing. I will now though.
I’m glad that there are other bloggers talking about it. The more, the better! Good girl. Get that writing paper out, and don’t put Hula Hoop crisp crumbs in the envelope. 😀
But, but… doesn’t eveyone appreciate Hula Hoop crumbs? 😉
Not sure they’ll be that tasty after a week in the post, sweetie 😀
Excellent. So glad to know that there are at least quite a few people sending some love her way. I started a letter to her during a meeting the other day, this reminds me to get that in the mail.
Yeah, Aussa! How’s my favourite redhead rebel? I think there should be a few big mailbags arriving for Rara – they’ll have to dress a guard up as Santa if this works out the way I’d like it to. Or maybe they’ll see her popularity as suspicious and add “possible head of underground blogging happiness sect” to the list of charges. Big hugs to you xxx
“Words are like hot chocolate, only better” Love this!!!
Hello Naomi, and welcome to MM’s place 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed it. Please come back again soon – we have cookies. And rosé. And good company. And I know that I shouldn’t start a sentence with “and”, but you only live once. 🙂
You have a big and wonderfully kind heart MM and I am glad we stumbled upon each other in the blogosphere! I will be writing to Rara 🙂
It’s my lovely TAC, Queen of the hobnob biscuit barrel! The feeling is mutual, chuckle butty. Yet again I see that you are not showing up in my reader – WordPress is playing silly buggers again.
Thank you for scribing a missive to Rara – we have to keep that girl smiling and give her enough reading to escape from there, albeit in her head. Hugs xx
I think they like playing silly buggers… I think they think they’re keeping us on our toes!
Would love to send Rara some choccie hobnobs to try and put an extra smile on her face but I guess I’ll have to make do with the letter! I can’t imagine how she must be feeling. Hugs back at ya xx
I too am grateful for all my blogging friends. I sometimes believe that they know me better than my family (or at least some members of my family).
I agree! It’s funny, but I think that writing things down is not only a better way of communicating, but sometimes it helps us to reveal far more about ourselves. Felllow bloggers don’t get bogged down with family history and preconceived ideas about how we have always been…
Ugh. I just read Rara’s story (only today) and my heart goes out to her. I too was falsely accused of something that I didn’t do many years ago. My two girls were ripped away from me and then next 13 years were a total nightmare. I was only inches away from going to jail too. I was saved by firing my lawyer and finally being able to “speak my mind” in court. I really believe had I not done that, I’d be toast. (I eventually hired another attorney, but by then, the case had taken the necessary turn it needed.)
I now know that these trials which have the ability to rip us apart, also have the healing power to mend us up later. We take away valuable lessons and stories that eventually heal others. I believe this will be Rara’s testimony in the end too. She’ll be stronger, wiser, and have a greater compassion when it’s all said and done. (All of the gobblety-goop aside, it still bites the big one that she’s in this situation!)
Hello! Welcome to the blog 🙂 The “justice” system can be totally unfair and inhumaine, particularly when it is used by unscrupulous people for revenge tactics… A well-oiled mechanism that can ruin innocent people’s lives. I’m glad that you hung in there and fought – and that you are still enjoying life afterwards because I think that this kind of situation unfortunately makes or breaks a person.
I believe that Rara will come through this stronger and that she will know how to turn the lemons into lemonade, and I’m convinced that her presence there will bring comfort to those around her. I am however worried that what she will see will affect her deeply. I hope that she is OK – no news about her for a while on her blog…
I too think that she’ll be deeply affected by what she sees (and hears and learns while incarcerated) but you know, I think it’s these things that’ll shape her into a stronger woman. Before being locked up, she was able to inspire and connect with others- only according to what she’d experienced in life. Imagine how many people she’ll be able to inspire and connect with based on actual experience. MANY more. It’s pure hell while you’re “in the fire” but you know, she’ll have something when it’s all said and done that can only be obtained through deep suffering- a greater ability to feel compassion for others. (You’re right though. These types of things will either make or break a person and make him or her hideously bitter, or deeply compassionate.) I’m hoping that she’ll be able to receive mail by now. I want to write her and share my (incredible yet true) story with her and encourage her. Thanks for the post here. :0)
❤ I love you, MM.
I love you too, Rara. And I’m so glad you’re home. Time to build something new, something totally RAWRSOME. Just like you. Hugs xxxxxx
I don’t know if you are still reading comments here MM, but thank you for bringing Ra into my life. I am eternally grateful.
Hello Vicky, You are very welcome! Rara is a wonderful girl, and I think of her every time I see anything linked to dinosaurs. I have no idea how I ended up on Word Press and seeing that magic little orange dot, but it happened – so thank YOU for calling me back to the blogging world. Who knows<ws, maybe I could get writing a post soon.