Am Not Coping

Hi @Zoe7@MDT@oceangirl@TAB

That is true - I remember the words of the song - in case other people don't remember them or even know about them - it goes

"We belong to a mu-tu-al - ad-mir-ation society - my baby and me ..."

And I remember part of that song from when I was very young and asking my very useful live-in grandmother what it meant and was informed and it must have been worth the effort because we do indeed belong to this society of mutual support and care and seeing and reporting the good we see in others

I'm proud to be part of it

I did have a tough year last year Zoe - and some of it is still on-going - with my stiff and sometimes very sore knee and my frail, aging uncle and not knowing where my relations are and the on-going issues with the council and my home-help -

Something to look forward to - something to write home about - something to puzzle about and never get complacent about - My Aged Care - does it work?

But having your support has been so helpful @Zoe7 - I have come out of my defensive shell quite a bit - I had hermit crabs for a while and I like them and perhaps I am like them - staying inside my shell seems to be a good idea at times but all crabs get bigger and need to come out into the open and be vulnerable at times

So are we all a bit like that - let's see if I can find some hermit crabs and find them

Oh yeah

Gee they are so lovely - I think it's unfair to keep them in a tank - I used to let mine out and run around the floor - maybe not the best idea in the world but the tank was not working for them

But they look so happy in someone else's cast of shell - they need that shell but they do come out at times as I saw when I had three of them in a tank and you can't name the crabs - just their shells

There are times when I really feel like a hermit crab but learning to share as made a big difference to my life

Dec - Community Owl

We all look a bit like meerkats here -

I used to have hermit crabs at school for the kids @Owlunar and would bring them home on the weekend where they could run around in the open too. My previous cat thought they were a toy to play with though so I had to be careful when and where I let them run.

We had several that I had to continue to replace but luckily I could say that they had changed shells and the kids believed that. We did have a couple of funerals for ones that died while the kids were at school - being able to say goodbye to them was important - especially when they were named and part of our everyday lives. I would love to have them again but they do take a lot of care - getting temperatures right and having enough shells for them to change into. I do have a rather large tank that I used to keep them in and that takes up room I don't presently have also.

I understand that hermit crab feeling - I too love to be in my shell and only come out when absolutely necessary. I think I am becoming more adventurous though - venturing out a bit more - but I tend to go back in my own shell pretty quickly.

I'm glad you checked in @Former-Member and I am glad you are still here

New Year can be a time to get a new start - the date is significant - maybe it will help - I hope so

You had a really rough time and we are here for each other in that way - we all have a story - I have yet to read yours if you have written it yet

I just haven't got the time to read all the threads - I tend to jump in where it seems like a good place in the convo and I saw you after Christmas Day and saw how rough things were for you and I really cared about it all

Still do - stay with us - this is a great bunch of people all sharing a way up a tough road and always urging each other along

Dec

Looks steep and hard - but....Mumi - it's not the mountain ahead of you that makes it hard - it's the pebble in your shoe

Hermit Crab feelings @Zoe7 - exactly that - we have this in common too

It's excellent to have funerals at school for the kids pets when they move on to the pet-heaven - it is part of life - why not - and people see funerals more as a celebration of life now which makes it a lot easier for those of us who must continue

I had to explain death to my son when he was maybe 6 - I forget - and I love sharing his stories

A crow had died in our back yard - and I explained it to him saying "The body of the bird is still here but you can see - its spirit has left"

A few weeks later there was another dead bird at Sunday School and I heard my son saying in a voice of wisdom I have not forgotten - sharing with other children- "The body of the bird is still here but you can see - its spirit has left"

How simple that was for a child who could not understand everything as well as his younger sister - the wisdom he had in sharing its simplicity

We are all part of creation -

Thanks Zoe

Dec

That is such a wonderful way to describe anything passing away @Owlunar and I bet you were such a proud mum hearing that your son had not only listened but actually taken in what you said - what a beautiful moment too. Sharing such moments can be joyous as well as heartbreaking but you certainly seemed to handle it very well.

I am looking forward to getting some things sorted today and then getting stuck into some more painting. Going to start on the peacock itself today with oils but can't do that until this afternoon when the light in the loungeroom is better.

Hi there @Sam3

Thanks for sharing - it is true - while we are all unique we still share feelings of humanity - we are alone in many ways - and we are joined in this - and strangely - in beling alone we are not for there are other people - the wonderful family here - at Sane Forums - and thus we are supported

I wrote this - I would like to share it

This planet Earth - a glorious sight -

One side turns to endless night -

The other toward the sunshine bright.

Endlessly a rolling stone -

Humanity stands alas alone -

But Earth forever is our home.

And then I see my thoughts so clear -

All I love is close and dear -

And all I need is always near.

Copyright - Dec

Hi @MDT How is your day going?

Thankyou so much for your lovely message @Owlunar 💜💖

You sound like a very kind and caring person.

I too hope that I can be here for you.

I don’t have a thread with my story. It’s a long story. I wouldn’t know where to start.

I have struggled with CPTSD and other health issues since I was a teenager.

Life has been a roller coaster, like many others here. With many traumas along the way.

Trying my best to get well.

I tend to mostly post on this thread. And sometimes go on others, mainly if someone tags me.

Chat again soon.

I hope your day goes well. 🌸🌷

Hi to everyone here. 👋💜💖☕️😘

@Zoe7 and all. ☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️