email that shim sent out (just thought it was so awesome!)

[Brittany Brink]

And that is why I love Shim he can make any day better without even really trying, this one email has either inspired,or changed alot of peoples lifes and I bet he never expected that to happen. He's so amazing <33

[DropC]

Wow, Shim, that's great! Thanks BILLIONS and BILLIONS and BILLIONS and BILLIONS and BILLIONS!

I have a fairly big problem goin on right now, and that really cooled me down!

Thanks =3

[Liznaxadalia]

i was truly blown away by this, shim you're an amazing person<3 thank you for everything.
+ thanks for posting this, haha. did he e-mail you or something?

[Jessamy]

its an email he sends out to people signed up i think

[Liznaxadalia]

^ ah, like those newsletters we get? i guess idk, since i'm a new user on the forums.

[Katy]

[Brittany Brink]

hmm if that's the case I haven't gotten any emails or newsletters like that or anything I don't think. Actually I might have gotten a couple newsletters but that's it lol

[Jessamy]

now this one i think can be called philosphical and wise..the other one I think was just clever =]


Hey guys,

I sat with a new friend at a show recently and talked about some of the things on her mind.

I found it funny that so much of what she felt, mirrored how I feel. And I found myself listening to my own advice at times (which we all should do more of).

We walk through our lives looking, hoping, praying, dreaming for... acceptance. Just acceptance for who we are. Who we really are. Not who they want us to be. To just feel a part of something special.

A relationship.

A family.

A friendship.

But we are all different. Every single one of us. Not one of us is the same. Even identical twins have their differences, so they are not the same (talk about an identity crisis).

I remember having pimples as a kid and feeling ridiculed for it by girls and guys more popular than me. My godfather said to me "Wouldn't it make sense to say to each other, Hey we all have them so what's the big deal?" I remember wishing life was that simple. The funny thing is that I remember feeling like I was accepted when I stood in front of a mirror and had pimple popping competitions with my friend. We'd compete on who had the WORST pimple!

Because we accepted each other for it. And hence ... felt a part of something together (as messed up as that sounds). I didn't feel alone.

So my new friend says to me that she's having trouble cause she won't act like the other people at college and gets left out of situations. Feels isolated. And above all...

UN-ACCEPTED.

She feels judged by her so called friends because she wont be social in the same way as everyone else. She wants to take time to get to know people. Instead of getting drunk and laid and using the standard mechanisms that most 18 year olds use to get past their insecurities.

So I sit with this girl as she feels judged. But she isn't realizing that she is also judging all those people for how they interact. Just because it isn't how she would go about it. Her and all her friends are just as insecure as each other about being ACCEPTED. And they all do the best they can with their 18 years of experience.

I have felt judged my whole life because people told me I had to be something else to be fitted into someone else's situation.

And I didn't realise how much I judged them because I thought THEY didn't get it. When really we were just different. I wish I looked at it that way earlier.

I spent so long feeling completely alone when they probably were coming from exactly the same place. They just acted differently... because we're all different.

The mistake that I made was that I actually tried to change myself over and over again to fit into their situations. Which I could never keep up. Eventually I had to stand up and say "This is who I am. If you don't dig it, we aren't right for each other in this life. You go find someone who gets you, and I'll do the same." It hurts like hell but I actually feel happier knowing that at least when I'm alone, It's me.

And I will soon find people who get me.
Then we can not feel alone together.

Shim

[Hollee]

I think I just fell in love with Shim.

His words are amazing. The way he can put into words what I (along with many many others) am feeling is just amazing. I'm making my mom read this one too.

[David]

Wow, thats all I have to say......just kidding....I can always say more.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who read this and found themselves nodding....yes...yes...I remember being there, feeling those things.....

Wow. How awesome of Shim to have such a personal connect to a fan at a show, imagine how the fan felt. No doubt this fan has been deeply touched by (and comforted by) the music the Sick Puppies bless us with, like we all have. How awesome of Shim to be so touched by talking to this fan, and connecting so much with this fan on such a deep level the he decided to email all of us.

Just when I thought I couldn't be more in love with the Sick Puppies, they do something like this. Wow.

[Julie]

I think the phrase “high school never ends” is poignant whether your 18 or 50+. Everyone is mocking each other never trying to just be themselves and accept each other for who they are. This whole statement above is something I’ve thought of many times, and spoken with my sister about recently.

I went through most of my life trying to fit other’s molds, never succeeding, feeling unaccepted and all because it wasn’t me. It took a very long time to realize that I wouldn’t be happy until I started being only myself, regardless of what others perceive. ANYWHO…..my point is that I can’t agree enough with the e-mail, and I do wish more people would realize it.

Life is truly too short to always be locked in a bubble that others make you feel you need to fit into. Be you, and only you.

[Sam]

OMG, that is so beautiful. I mean, that really speaks to me. I needed to read this.

[bobrien]

Shim is an amazing soul! His email definatly brightened my day and made me wish he was near so I could give him a HUGE hug! I have a lot of the same thoughts and feelings and still struggle but its nice to know Im not the only one!

Thanks Shimmy!

[Hollee]

I forwarded this to a friend of mine and all she could say was 'wow.' She was floored by it. It really is a poignant and eye opening email.

[Brittany Brink]

Oh My God, that was just wow. That was beautiful and amazing I can't think of any other way to word it. Shim has such a way with words, he can make any day better any person feel better without not even trying to, just from this email it's given me a new view on things that's for sure. I have a feeling he's gonna be the one who teaches me how to deal with all of my stupid meaningless problems or my self-esteem issues and everything. This the 2nd email of his I've read and I've got to say I agree this one is deffinately better then the first one and that one was great to. All I have to say is thanks Shim I love you, your a great guy and deffinately an inspiration to me <33

[Vladimir]

When you think of it that way, all your problems seem..... unimportant i guess, thts really deep, iv never heard it put that way before...

[brittany_71]

[Brittany Brink]

[MarixD]