Sorry for the wall of text
I just received a notification with a little badge called “devotee” and “anniversary”, I went to see what it was and I discovered that is already my first year of forum and that I visited and read it every single day of the year (which honestly is insane lol).
All those stuff are quite personal but I dont care to write them also in case someone is in my situation or will be in my situation, you are not alone!
I sign up here exactly one year ago mentally and physically destroyed, I discovered last July that my career as classical guitarist was finished and that I can’t play anymore cause a disease, I passed a summer sit on the couch or walking around bored and sad cause my hand was insanely swollen after the medical exams and the carpal tunnel injection, the idea of not play guitar anymore it killed me inside and made me completely numb to everything that was happening in my life, my only though was about the fact that I cannot play anymore, I will not going to hide that I was mentally not in a good place at all and constantly thinking that my life was finished.
Once the hand wasn’t swollen anymore and my nerves felt better I started to use my right hand again and while I wasn’t able to play guitar as described by doctors I noticed that I was able to throw again (I never stop to throw in 10 years, I just did it for myself in my bedroom an hour every now and then to chill and relax after play guitar or just to release a bit of stress, always loved yoyoing), seeing the bag of yoyos in the corner of my living room make me had an idea, to occupy my time instead of complain of myself just start to throw more frequently, I passed from an hour every now and then to 4 hours daily if not more and also during the weekend an insane amount of time 
The same day I look online to see it there was a forum and I found YoyoExpert, subscribed without even had an idea about the adventure I was starting, useless say that now I feel much better and so many great things happened:
I made so many new friends around the world and in London and just this is amazing
I started with 5 yoyo in my bag, now I have 50
I started just for the sake of it and then I got sponsored, open an instagram and in January will be one year that I post a new combo every week and being part of the community, insane to think people asking for tutorials of my combos, this is crazy!
Being active in the community gave me a new sense of life, a goal, a hobby, a passion which is everything I need in my life
It took me out from the depression and helpless feeling I had, it helped me physically to go again back in shape (still working on it)
It made my internal pain more bearable knowing that every morning I can wake up with a goal and so many people around that want to have fun, I still miss guitar but yoyoing is literally helping me to survive that.
Every morning first thing I do is coffee and watch what happen in the forum, every day is great and full of discoveries, thanks everyone, this is the first of so many years! 
Much love
Alberto
