Spanky! Are we cross? You can not help the whole world. People have to learn life for themselves. In some cases, the more pity you pour on, the more they will draw it in and go nowhere. My life wasn't always full roses. I once lived on the streets and I know what sadness is. I have seen some of the most horrible and ugly things you couldn't possibly imagine. Sorry for the Laughing out loud symbols, but the help that was given, just made me more comfortable in the hole I was in. So I walked away from the help and went back to the streets and it was the best thing I had ever done. After being cold hunger and wet, I woke from the place I was sleeping in and walked into the city of sydney. Walking down pit street, my eye caught my own reflection in a shop window, And the one feeling at made me wake up was, the feeling of hitting rock bottom. I looked at myself very hard and all in split second, I knew this was not me. I said to my self, I am better than this, and when you feel this, all you can see at this time can only be described as looking from a bottom of a well with only that tiny spec of light all that way back up to the top. How I got back was with guts!
The more you surround some with cotton wool, they will not find that inner strength. In just under a year, I had it all back that I had lost.
And you know who really helped me! IT WAS ME! Until you hit the ground hard, will not trigger that survival mechanism that is inside us all. Iam I a hard man, maybe, but you wouldn't think so, if you saw the little boy all those years ago that cried over very thing that made him sad. I believe if one does not face ones demons, one will never walk right again.

every post is good ,every one of them has merit and ideas I agree with.
Evolution however hits the nail on the head how very true only we can help ourselves, but, never forget that first hand hold can come as another poster says with Gday mate.
My job, here I go again, trying to put a human face on SOME unions puts me in such a role often.
To understand a person has bought the pain on themselves say alcohol at work, is one thing but how I handle it another.
Easy to say you idiot and walk away, harder more more correct to say friend you did it to your self I will try to help if you do too.
Every human has value, Depression? some do not understand just how many have the black dog it is no crime.
So I put those who added to a thoughtful caring thread into the nice people basket ,just wish more cared for others.
pale my little dog is in my garden my new one under my feet dogs give back 100 times what we give them and this big old bloke can be turned to water as she trys to drag me out the door.

belly
Glad to hear your family is complete again. Its always hard to make new ties and changes.
Talk to them about your little lost buddy because they will understand.[ Even if you dont tell them- They know.

Did you know a dog knows more about you just by sniffing your ankles thean a person would if they knew you for six months?
True.
You might be interested to know Belly we are looking very carefully at Kerry Obrien and Labour.

Perhaps Kevin Rudd is listening to him and the Australian public.
I dont know I would need to get my dog to sniff his ankles I guess.

At least ALP were honest enough to tell it how it is regarding the amount of everyday public who have contacted their offices demading the live animal trade be replaced with chilled.

In contrast Peter Mcgaruan lied and lied and then lied some more.
All the Australian people need to know is they are electing a Government that will listen to them.

Kerry Obrien said- If the public of Australia wanted it stopped then they would listen to the public.
Labours Kerry Obrien also mentioned several times that we needed to look at opening more plants and value adding, jobs etc.

If he means it and Rudd can be trusted to listen to the public like kerry- ALP will gain millions of votes.

It could be an election winner.

They have a long way to go but honesty is a really good start.

So hats off to Mr Obrien for that much and SHAME on The Howard Government contiuned Lies!

Evolution,
See what I mean?
It took what it took, for you to open up to a thread full of complete strangers.

You are right, in the fact that some of us have to travel down a road with a long line of bad luck, depression and we grit our teeth to win through, some of us just have to grit a little harder and longer than others.

We meet people who only think they know the answers, no one can tell you how to feel better about a particular circumstance you may find yourself in, because they are not you and you handle it differently.
but just the fact of another pair of ears listening to you, actually makes that inner survival kit we are born with, kick-in.

Ever tried sitting quietly, alone in a room and thought to yourself, who am I?... in this body, in this place, why am I here and what are my aims and purpose? Even if you still do not have anything, you may have touched someone elses life, just by simply acknowledging them with a "g'day how are you?"

This will not bring you the answers, but it will damn sure make you aware of who you are more than you did, say an hour ago!

Try it, sometimes one needs to sit and look back on ones life to truly appreciate ones surroundings.

Some of us look up and pray, some of us just close our eyes and quietly speak to someone we only think or imagine is listening and by doing this, one is able to at least create a "catch net" of some kind.
Others prefer to be alone awhile, to collect our thoughts and work out a way to understand the if's, the and's and the why's, it comes down to the individual, we are all similar but in many ways different from one another, especially when it comes down to you, as a person, as a self sustaining, thinking and imaginative individual.

The gospel according to John and Paul:

All the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
All the lonely people
Where do they all belong?

AAwwwAHHH..Look at all the lonely people...doo di doo di doo doo!