What an interesting thread!
My story is a little sad, I suppose, so I'll just outline it here. I don't ever change mine from an elephant because it has such a significance for me. I joined the forum just a week after my late Mum died from cancer, and it immediately became a great and welcome distraction for me from many painful things.
I chose an elephant because I was searching for a beautiful image to make into cards to thank friends and family for all their thoughts. Mum was born and raised in Africa, and the tremendous image I found (my first of the two avatars I've used here) spoke to me not only of great beauty and dignity, but also somehow signified her battle in her last few years of life, as well as her passing.
The great elephant has always been a part of my very small presence here on Jref, and I'm loathe to change to anything else now (though I do always have ideas!) My present avatar was the first photo ever taken of a baby elephant in the womb, and once I saw it I just had to have it - it seemed to resonate about how I want to live my life in the future, on top of the obvious meaning for me.
It's just a minor point, I s'pose, but I've been a member of various forums over the years, and know first-hand that sometimes help or advice you've given people mean much much more than you'd ever expect, and even though they couldn't remember your username, perhaps, or your avatar exactly, they sometimes
do remember the two in tandem.
It's so lovely to hear from these folk occasionally, just to know that some little help was appreciated or (more importantly!) that some small part of life had actually got better. I suppose it's selfish, but I love to get those messages.
And did I mention? My time here's now got me addicted to elephants lol! Hehe, watch out for my next avatar (I've got a few in the bank for when I can next get posting here much!)
made of sentimentality
