Laddie: Abby the Black Lab has been slacking off recently and hasn’t written a blogpost since May 2014. In response to my threat to withhold dinner tonight, she graciously offered to step in and share her views on community and #dblogcheck day.
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Abby: It is #dblogcheck day. Laddie informed me that she is too busy to write a blogpost today because she is visiting other blogs in the Diabetes Online Community (#DOC) and leaving comments. Although I am overworked protecting my home from coyotes, rattlesnakes, and FedEx drivers, I suppose I can take a minute to discuss dog biscuits, mailboxes, and people with diabetes.
In my Arizona neighborhood there is a magic mailbox which dispenses dog biscuits instead of outgoing mail. I learned about it a few years ago from my Golden Retriever friend Stella. When Laddie and I walk down this street a few blocks from home, I tug on the leash to prompt her to open the mailbox door and see what delicacies await me. (Mind you, I eat tree pods, table scraps, and rabbit poop so I’m not very particular….) Along with dogs of all breeds, shapes, and sizes, I wag my tail and explode with excitement. I am a 78-pound dog who goes berserk over snacks the size of a quarter.
Do you know what else the magic mailbox does? It beams happiness to My Human and zaps a smile on her face every walk. Some days there are twenty treats in the mailbox and they are devoured by late afternoon. That means that lots of dogs got yummy treats while their owners were reminded that small things can bring joy to others. The random act of dog-biscuit-kindness is contagious as the humans become more apt to smile at and engage their neighbors. By dispensing magical treasures every day, this mailbox helps build a bond of community in the neighborhood. Community. That’s important.
So what does this have to do with diabetes? The purpose of #dblogcheck day is to celebrate the #DOC and connect with people on blogs, Twitter, Facebook and wherever you hang out. You are prompted to leave a comment on every blog you read even if it is as short as writing “Check.” I like to think that blog comments, tweets, and Facebook remarks are dog treats where you touch base with people and remind them that they are appreciated and that the diabetes community is important.
Laddie: Sometimes I ask myself whether my blog is my most important contribution to the #DOC. My answer is “Not at all.” I think that when I read and respond to the blogs, tweets and Facebook postings of my FFABD’s (Fellow Folks Affected By Diabetes) that I validate their experiences and remind them that their voice is important. That’s a good thing.
Abby the Black Lab has no idea about the carb count of dog biscuits and neither do I. We both know that comments are carb-free and we encourage you to explore the #DOC today and everyday. Write comments and take time to welcome/support new and established members of the diabetes community. No one has ever complained about too much love, respect, and validation.
Abby: Check!
Laddie: Check!
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Other posts by Abby the Black Lab:
Abby the Black Lab Discusses DSMA Live
Test Guess and Go 