Some days ago, I read my various entries in GA: 14 blogs in 2011 (not counting all the other since 2006), 1640 posts, and not to mention countless comments !

My only regret is: having just a knowledge of "practice" English, sufficient to communicate in my business work and my travels, but not to allow me to write in the language of Shakespeare all the events that happened to me and to convert them in stories I could write for my pleasure and perhaps for that of a reader.

Despite these shortcomings, I was able to participate in this wonderful site, to get myself a place and meet many friends, many more than 35 friends who have done me the honor of accepting my friendship on their profile.

I then wanted to take stock of the past five years with you.

A balance always has two sides: an asset and a liability.

On the liabilities side, few things:

I was haddicted to GA, and I spend many hours that I could possibly spend on more useful activities, such as tidying my desk and participate in household chores (?).

The naivety of some comments, especially of the youngest of us, certain policy positions, particularly from American members, bristle me and shows me how we are distant from each other, on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. But I keep to myself these negative opinions and I forget them very quickly!

On the assets side, many more things:

Both either through the stories themselves or through blogs and comments, I got to know, more intimately than I could do it by meeting them "physicaly", hundreds of men and women, individuals of all ages and all backgrounds, living in every corner of the planet.

Each participant, often protected by his anonymity, is ready to "let it go", shows himself in his true light and appears as he really is, with his faults and qualities, while in the life of every day, it often look far to know who is really in front of you.

While each is marked by the place where he comes from and where he lives, we all have a lot in common, our expectation of life is the same for all. Yellow, black or white, male or female, gay, bi or straight, young or old, our hopes, our joys, our fears and suffering are the same.

Through our participation in this site, we show that we belong to the same community. For me it is not a group with same physical attractions (!) , but rather a community of spirit, characterized by openness to the others, by an acceptance of ourselves and hope of a better life.

For most of us, we are all people of good will, who want to live together and ready to share our deepest thoughts, even more when we recognise that we are protected by the site's privacy.

I know of no other place that offers so many opportunities to meet so many people and have friendly exchanges with so many different personalities in every corner of the planet.

If I had not met (by chance!) this site, I would not be what I am today, wiser, more comprehensive and full of indulgence for the world in which I live.

Long life to GA! .