Animal cruelty, climate change, monoculture...the list goes on.

[ChrissyStar]

I feel hopeless and have decided not to have children because of the state of the world (why would I wish to bring a child into this when I myself, do not like to live here?). Does anyone else feel the same?

[Birdy77]

Dear Pepper,

I feel the same way ❤

Thank you xo

🌻birdy

[Birdy77]

Hello everyone,

Unbeliever, I totally understand your frustration (running out of methods) I feel it on a daily basis, and honestly makes me want to retreat into a hole much of the time. I don't have the answer.

But even if my choices don't seem to make "a difference", they make a difference to me, they make a difference to my conscience and my spirit. And surely those of us who make these choices and changes are collectively making a difference. Not enough to save the planet, granted, but still.

I like that quote "Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better" but I think a lot of people don't want to know better. Which is what you were saying earlier. It does my head in. Cue: retreat into the hole.

People don't seem to get that we are endangered too. My partner likes to watch zombie apocalypse movies and when I walk past and see the screen I'm like "yep, there is the world in about 50 years time".

We spend billions of $$ looking for life on other planets, and t trillions of dollars destroying life on this one.

I'm rambling.

But i wanted to acknowledge and empathise with your frustration. I get it.

🌻birdy

[Peppermintbach]

Hi birdy (waves to Chrissystar and all),

I don’t have much to add right now but I wanted to say that I appreciated your recent post. I’m glad you were able to empathise so beautifully with Unbeliever.

You get where he comes from. It’s frustrating and very disheartening at times...I hear both of you.

Pepper xoxo

[Birdy77]

Dear Pepper (Hi Chrissystar and all),

My spirit soared when you said you feel freedom in our friendship. It reminds me of a Thich Naht Hahn quote, love in such a way that the person you love feels free. You could substitute "like" or "be a friend" for the word "love" and it would be equally true.

If you feel confined by a relationship or a dynamic, it's not equal or fair and the other person is interested in you mirroring back to them what they want to hear or whatever ... not a true respect for you in all your complexity, uniqueness, weirdness, wildness, awesomeness, sadness, etc.

I don't have anything to add to the recent discussion here, but I felt like hanging out with you, saying I appreciate you and I've read several of your posts on other threads the last day or so, where I've wanted to cheer for you, but I haven't been part of the discussion, so I didn't feel comfortable chiming in.

So: I cheers you here my friend 🥂.

Love and light all ❤

🌻birdy

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Chrissystar and all,

Chrissystar: I hope you’ve been doing okay...

All: a friendly wave...

birdy: your post moved me. Thank you so much...I love that quote.

It was beautiful and I liked how it seemed to speak of unconditional acceptance in it...sentiments about friendship (or any other important and meaningful relationships) being based on the freedom to self express, etc tend to resonate with me ❤️

Also, I absolutely loved this:

If you feel confined by a relationship or a dynamic, it's not equal or fair and the other person is interested in you mirroring back to them what they want to hear or whatever ... not a true respect for you in all your complexity, uniqueness, weirdness, wildness, awesomeness, sadness, etc.

Thank you wonderful birdy...

It means a lot to me that you’ve been cheering me on. I must admit that I’m wondering which threads you’re referring to...if it helps, you’re of course welcome to chime in on any conversation (not that you need anyone’s “okay” to join in...you can join in anywhere, any time or course).

In fact, considering your great insight, intelligence and empathy, I for one (plus many others) would welcome your thoughts, insight and observations any time.

Love,

Pepper xoxo

[Peppermintbach]

Hi ChrissyStar and all,

I wanted to share something that Sez (Just Sara) said on her thread.

For UB and birdy:

And please pass on to UB and birdy, that their consistent attempts to enlighten the masses has worked in this instance. I will undoubtedly write down all UB's suggested doco's to watch, and focus on what changes I can make in my world to throw a pebble in the pond.

Pepper xoxo

[Birdy77]

Hi ChrissyStar and everyone 😊

Pepper, thank you so much that really uplifting and affirming message from Sez 😊 How inspiring, encouraging and supportive. Thank you to Sez, and may we all continue to support each other to drop our pebbles in the pond and create ripples of change born of compassion, love and light 😊.

Thank you Pepper also for your previous post, I really appreciate your presence and your warm and gentle friendship means a lot to me.

Wishing everyone a day of peace and may our daily choices increasingly be made with conscious thought and care.

Love and light all ❤

🌻birdy

[Just Sara]

Hi Pepper, Birdy, UB and a warm thankyou to Chrissystar;

A huge and grateful hello! 🙂

I'm tagging this thread instead of having to use the search function as I have been. Since reading many of your posts, thanks to Pepper sating my inquisitiveness, I'm not so hesitant to read and contribute here anymore.

I'd like to address UB if I could; as you know, I contributed quite a few times on your large thread about depression being a result of world views/events etc. I realise now there was a part of me avoiding the true nature of that topic.

In the midst of my breakdown, the impact on my illness those types of issues had on me were larger than life, so posting my truth was a scary alternative to the way I chose to respond. I'm normally attuned to posters and their issues, but in your case I found myself floundering and trying to change your focus. I'm so sorry...

You were of course correct in many aspects, and it wasn't my place to be the way I was. I hope you understand, because it's important to me that my apology's heard, comprehended and accepted.

From memory, you said you'd been affected by what happens globally since you were very young. (Please correct me if I'm wrong) To me, there's a positive in this due to the overwhelming suffering you felt. This isn't a case of schadenfreude btw, it's more a matter of how our suffering can lead us to 'the life we were born to live'.

Passing on what I've learned for instance, is now the background for developing my own business in the social services sector. Without suffering the way I have, finding my place in the world would've been impossible.

The same goes for being on this forum; what better experience could there be to add to my list of qualifications and lived experiences? Unbeknown to me, everything I've been thru has accumulated to become the groundwork to base my future on.

I guess it's a matter of finding the right platform.

So I'll leave things here and reiterate my first sentence; thankyou all for being yourselves. It's a honour to know you...

Warm thoughts;

Sez x

[Peppermintbach]

Hi Chrissystar and all,

birdy: as much as I appreciate the thanks and would love to take all the credit, the person that you should be thanking is Sez. I was just the messenger 😉

Thank you so much for your gentle message to me. I feel the same way 🙂

I appreciate your nudge for us to continue to make more conscious decisions. I really like the quote you used as I couldn’t have said it any better.

Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better

Sez: what a blessing for you to join us! I’m happy to hear you feel a little more comfortable about reading and contributing here. You, and everyone else, are most welcome 🙂

Also, what a gracious and caring post to UB 🙂

I feel blessed and privileged to know you too. Love, H x H’s

Pepper xoxo

[Birdy77]

Good morning ChrissyStar and everybody 😊

Sez, Thank you again for the message Pepper delivered, it was truly uplifting to read your gracious words of support and encouragement.

I think I can relate to your feelings of issues being "larger than life" at times. Especially when we are unwell it can be like a tsunami. Which probably relates back to Unbeliever's other thread, which really resonates with me.

It's wonderful that your journey of pain and healing has brought you to the "life you were meant to live" ... so inspiring, and I have not a doubt in the world you will excel in your new business venture. You have a zest that will spin magic wherever you tread 😊

It's an honour to know you as well Sez.

Pepper, I really like that quote too. I have had times where I've felt incredibly guilty for not being a better person before I knew some of the truths I know now. But there is no use in that. It's not helpful and doesn't change anything. Looking ahead is helpful though and doing better once knowing better. That's what we can do.

Yes, I know the credit was Sez's, I hope my Thanks to her was clear, but thanks to you too ... There's plenty of thanks for everybody to share 😄

We were talking about cruelty free products and a while back you mentioned skin care and beauty products (& I forgot to say that I think that's a great idea to use up what you have and then choose cruelty free replacements) ... anyway, I made a new discovery at the supermarket this week. There are not many cruelty free toothpaste brands available where I live, but a new one hit the stores around here by WhiteGlo which now has a vegan friendly cruelty free option and comes with a biodegradable toothbrush. Awesome!

I made burgers again last night from the Funky Fields "Minced" and it was gobsmackingly good. I made flatbreads to wrap them in and lettuce, vegan cheese and caramelized onions. Ohhhh yeah!! Has anyone managed to try it yet?

Has anyone tried the Beyond Burger? I think they have released it in some stores, Maybe just metro stores though ...

I'm hungry now.

Thanks to everyone here for caring and sharing and being.

Love and light ❤

🌻birdy