You're right, my word choice makes it seem like I was saying fungi and humans are genetically related. Thanks for clarifying.

You may have more in common with people from the south than you realize. I live in WNC where plenty of people use that word regularly. Folks in the mountains have widely varying knowledge bases and depth that they often don't reveal right away. It might seem out of place in Southern California, but you may be shutting yourself off to the possibility that someone could surprise you and offer insight from a perspective you hadn't considered.

Interesting litmus. Thanks for explaining. I hope it continues to serve you well.

Speaks volumes that they didn't have an answer.

I thought the same thing at first lol. Like, woah woah woah.

This is a more compassionate approach. The idea of all or nothing puts a lot of pressure on someone when they're trying to change. The flip side is that many people can't moderate and any amount of substance can make them spiral, but start with something that helps them feel the encouragement of others even if they falter from their goals.

The path to sobriety isn't cut and dry, and this approach will help reduce the shame that's often felt along the way. Shame can lead people right back into the same patterns that got them where they are. The dehumanizing stigmas don't go unseen by the people they're applied to. Those stigmas become internalized and self deprecating in a very hurtful way. We're our own worst enemies.

How so?

I haven't read through comments yet so I may be redundant.

Hey... So sorry. Pets are a personal relationship. That loss is a grief just like any other. It's hard because others don't have the relationship to that individual that you have.

Grief is something you carry through life. It isn't linear, but it does get easier. Grief will come in waves. You'll be fine and then it hits you out of the blue.

Do we just live and suffer and die? Well, yeah. But we also love, and get excited, and feel, learn new things, explore. We fall in love; we experienced heartbreak. We have moments when we notice the light coming through the leaves in the forest, or the sound of water on rocks in a creek, an interaction between a grandparent and young child, the smell of a newborn's head, that first time a cat settles in your lap, coffee when no one else is awake, the first sign of success in a new hobby, I could go on and on. So many things. Observations that have a visceral yet intangible emotional reaction. So so many things.

Let grief make you tender. Let grief remind you that everyone will deal with it in different ways. You can connect to others through vulnerability. Don't let it make you hard or resentful; there's so much beauty and love in the world. There's so much love in the personal relationship with a pet. There is love you can't describe.

Engage with the grief. Don't bottle or avoid it. Feel it. You're grieving because of the depth and complexity of the relationship. That's totally okay. That's healthy. It's gonna hurt. It hurts.

I'm so sorry you're feeling this right now. Take your time and feel it. Don't feel like you ever have to let that go. That's life.

Live, suffer, and die? Yeah, you could say that, but it's in the most beautiful way, and there's so much in between.

35 is "old"?

Lighten up. This is no way to have a productive discussion. If you aren't in the mood, then maybe you shouldn't be commenting right now. Take a breather. We all have bad days. Hope you feel better.

My wife found one huddled in the middle of the road earlier this year, probably only five or six weeks old. Our attempts at fostering have failed spectacularly. She loves it here.

Right?! They didn't end it in "Good Luck" to instill any kind of encouragement

Nothing recent, but they've controlled these for a long time.

I know what you mean by capitalists, but respectfully, I think you dilute your argument to phrase it that way. Many people start their own small businesses and find success, personal freedom, fulfillment (I mean they also find challenges, anxiety, and struggles, sure.) Isn't it capitalism that allows them to decide what they want to do, start something from scratch, determine their own prices?

Actually, now that I think about it, maybe you or someone else can tell me, how does starting a business in a capitalistic society differ from starting one in a more socialistic society? I'm wondering what freedoms and restrictions there are. I started out going one way with this comment but realized there's probably a lot I could learn to broaden my perspective. I really only know what it feels like to start my own business in a capitalistic society.