I’ve found that when writing about my experience of T1D, a personal truth for me, I need to be careful about extending that personal experience to the realm of universality.
I’ve also learned, however, that my personal experience does indeed extend to many other people, just not everyone. These exceptions to my experience do not impeach my personal truth or experience; they simply reflect a wider spectrum.
I don’t believe that we are all “snowflakes,” no two diabetes experiences ever overlapping. We all, after all, share similar human biology.
This portrayal of a single human’s experience as universal is the source of much misunderstanding and forum grief. I think much of this grief is often driven by a less-than-careful use of language. We see these forums often as an extension of informal casual conversations. That informality is something attractive to most of us.
I make an effort to stay out of this wearisome forum dead-end by trying to avoid using terms like: always, never, and any. That way you may honor the truth of your personal experience without stepping on the toes of some who live at a different point on a spectrum of truth.