Recruited by Universe

🦆💜 Five 11-Year-Old Boys, One Little Duck, and a Random Act of Kindness That Made My Heart Sing

**Sometimes the most beautiful lessons in compassion come from the most unexpected places. And sometimes, they come from five 11-year-old boys.**

Today I heard a story that absolutely melted my heart, and I just had to share it.

Because with so much negativity in the world, it's lovely to be reminded that there really is some beautiful goodness out there.

I was catching up with friends when one shared a story about her 11-year-old son and his four mates.

The five boys had been exploring their local watering hole when they discovered a duck that clearly wasn't doing too well.

Her son came racing home.

"Mum, can I have a bucket?"

Off he went.

About ten minutes later, he was back.

"Mum, have you got a syringe?"

"Why on earth do you need a syringe?"

"We need to give the duck some water!"

So Mum found a little syringe, handed it over, and off he went again.

Eventually, curiosity got the better of her, and she wandered down to see what these boys were up to.

And what she found was just beautiful. 💜

There were five 11-year-old boys gathered around a bucket.

Inside was this poorly little duck, carefully nestled in a towel, surrounded by little flowers and a small tree branch they'd collected to make it comfortable.

And there was her son, gently trying to give the duck some water.

But these boys weren't finished!

# # 🦆 Five boys on a mission

They knew this little duck needed professional help.

"We need to call WIRES!"

Now, Mum didn't even realise her son knew about WIRES!

But he'd already taken the initiative.

The boys had borrowed a phone from a friendly lady they knew, called WIRES themselves and received a reference number.

And here's the clever bit.

Rather than risk forgetting the reference number, **each boy memorised a couple of characters!**

When Mum later called WIRES, they successfully pieced together their reference, and sure enough, the report was there.

How clever are these kids?! 👏

WIRES suggested taking the duck to a nearby vet, so Mum loaded five boys and their very special little patient into the car.

The vet nurse took the duck inside, and the waiting began.

Over the following hours, the boys anxiously asked for updates.

The duck was having an ultrasound.

Then an X-ray.

By bedtime, her son was pleading.

"Mum, please ring again. I won't be able to sleep until I know what's happening to the duck."

Sadly, the news wasn't what anyone had hoped.

The duck was very unwell, and the veterinarian had made the compassionate decision to euthanise it to prevent further suffering.

But the vet had a very special message for those five boys.

Thank you. 💜

Because although they'd set out to save a life, what they'd actually done was something equally beautiful.

They had made that little duck's final hours comfortable, safe and filled with kindness.

They'd noticed it was suffering.

They'd stopped what they were doing.

They'd made it comfortable.

They'd asked for help.

And they'd ensured it received the care it needed.

💜 And then came the part that really got me...

It was around 9pm when her son said:

"Mum, we have to go next door. We have to tell the boys what happened."

So off they went.

The neighbour answered the door, gathered his sons, and my friend's boy broke the sad news to his mates.

And what did these five 11-year-old boys do?

**They all came together in one big group hug.**

Oh my goodness. My heart! 🥹

Five young boys showing compassion, empathy, responsibility, friendship and the courage to care.

And when things didn't turn out the way they'd hoped, they supported each other through their sadness.

Just beautiful.

🌿 Sometimes we can't change the outcome

As a Palliative Care Volunteer, End-of-Life Doula and Grief First Aid Instructor, this story touched me on so many levels.

Because something I believe deeply is that:

We can't always change how a life ends, but we can make a difference to how those final moments are experienced.

And that's not just relevant to end-of-life care.

It's relevant to how we live, how we lead, how we raise our children, how we support one another and how we show up when someone needs us.

These boys demonstrated empathy, emotional intelligence, initiative, teamwork, problem-solving and compassion.

Qualities we spend years trying to develop in our workplaces and communities.

And they did it naturally, without recognition, reward or expectation.

They simply saw another living being in need and decided to do something about it.

📖 Could this little duck have another chapter in its story?

I was so impressed by what these boys had done that I suggested something to my friend.

"You know what? This could almost become a children's book!"

Imagine involving all five boys in telling their own story.

Letting them share what happened from their perspective, contribute their ideas and perhaps even help create the illustrations.

A book by children, for children, exploring kindness, compassion, friendship, grief and the importance of caring for all living things.

And then another thought crossed my mind.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the proceeds from this little book could support Palliative Care NSW?

A story about five boys who unknowingly provided comfort at the end of a little duck's life, helping to support compassionate care for others.

There's something rather beautiful about that full circle. 💜

Who knows? Perhaps this little duck has another chapter in its story yet!

🦆🧡 And then Universe had a little surprise of its own...

After hearing this beautiful story, I happened to come across two little ducks carved from Orange Calcite.

Now, anyone who knows me knows I don't always believe in coincidences! 😉

I looked at these two little ducks and just knew they were meant to come home with me.

One for me.

A little reminder of this beautiful ARK — Act of Random Kindness — five remarkable boys and a little duck whose final day was filled with love and compassion.

And one for my friend's son.

A little gift from Universe, through me, to simply say **thank you.** 💜

Thank you for noticing.

Thank you for caring.

Thank you for taking action when you saw another living being in need.

And thank you for reminding us adults that sometimes the greatest lessons in life come from our children.

I wanted him to have something tangible to remind him that what he and his mates did really mattered.

They may not have been able to save that little duck's life, but they made sure its final hours were filled with care, comfort and dignity.

And that, to me, is something worth remembering.

Who knows, perhaps one day those two little Orange Calcite ducks will sit alongside a children's book telling their beautiful story.

Wouldn't that be something! 🦆📖💜

💜 A little reminder for all of us

Sometimes making a difference isn't about fixing something.

Sometimes it isn't about finding the solution or changing the outcome.

Sometimes it's simply about showing up, being present and offering kindness when it's needed most.

To those five boys, wherever life takes you, please never lose those beautiful caring hearts.

And to their parents, you're raising some pretty remarkable young humans!

The world needs more of that.

And I reckon Universe would be smiling at these five boys today. 🌿✨

I hope this story makes your heart sing a little too.

Because sometimes, even in sadness, there is something incredibly beautiful to be found.

**How may I be of service?**

💜 Shaz
Recruited by Universe — Guided by Heart

---

**I'd love to hear your thoughts.** Do you think this little duck's story could become a children's book that helps other children understand kindness, compassion and grief?



An AI image that I imagined what it would have been like, using the Orange Calcite Duck in the bucket.

Check where I will be next with Spiritual Guidance Readings by Sharon 💜 🧙‍♀️ 🪄 🧹 🧙‍♀️ 💜

🎃🔮 WITCH way to LITHGOW? 🧙‍♀️💜✨

Well, apparently Universe has decided I'm heading to Lithgow for Halloween weekend… and let's just say, Shaz is getting into the spirit of things! 😂🧙‍♀️

I'll be bringing my usual mix of spiritual guidance, laughter, Medicine Drum, a little magic and perhaps a message or two from your guides or loved ones in Spirit. 💜

And because it's Halloween, I've decided to dress for the occasion! Let's just say… you won't have too much trouble spotting me in the crowd! 😂🎃

Whether you're looking for some clarity, reassurance, a little healing, or you're simply curious about what Universe might have to share, come and say hello!

No judgement, no expectations, just a safe space to connect, have a laugh and see what unfolds. ✨

🔮 GEMTOPIA Crystal & Wellness Show – Halloween Edition

📍 The Civic Ballroom, Tony Luchetti Showground, Lithgow

📅 Saturday 31 October & Sunday 1 November

⏰ 10am – 4pm both days

🎟️ $5 entry | Under 18s FREE

There'll be crystals, psychics, wellness practitioners, lucky door prizes and plenty of Halloween fun!

💜 And here's a little challenge… come dressed up too! I'd love to see what you come up with!

So who's coming to Lithgow? And more importantly… who's brave enough to come and find me? 😉🧙‍♀️

See you there, beautiful souls!

Love, Shaz 🦉💜✨

Recruited by Universe – Guided by Heart.

What Happens Because We Lived?

Have you ever wondered what will be left of you when you're gone?

Not your house.
Not your car.
Not the things you spent a lifetime collecting.

But you.

Your stories. Your wisdom. Your laughter. The things you created. The way you made people feel.

The little pieces of yourself that might still be here long after you’re not.

I think about this a lot when I think about Arthur, my late hubby.

Art loved native trees, the Australian bush and being surrounded by nature. And since losing him, I’ve found myself thinking differently about what it actually means to leave something behind.

Because Arthur isn't here physically.

But Arthur is still here.

He's in the stories we tell.

He's in the memories that suddenly make me laugh.

He's in the things I notice because I know he would have noticed them too.

He's there when I see a beautiful native tree and immediately think of him.

And sometimes I wonder whether THAT is what legacy really is.

Not having your name remembered forever.

But leaving little pieces of yourself behind in other people.

There’s an old story about a monk showing a young man a tree planted many years earlier.

Nobody remembered the person who planted it.

They didn’t know what he owned, how successful he was or what kept him awake worrying at 2am.

But people were still sitting beneath the shade of the tree he had planted.

His name was gone. His gift wasn't.

That thought has really stayed with me.

Because maybe our legacy is simply what continues because we were here.

The person you listened to when they desperately needed someone.

The kindness you showed.

The child who remembers you always had time for them.

The friend who knew they could call you.

The knowledge you passed on.

The stories you told.

The laughter.

The love.

And maybe we can be a little more intentional about leaving some of those things behind.

Create something people might continue to use.

Write your story or biography so your grandchildren, great-grandchildren — or generations you will never meet — can discover who you were.

Record your voice.

Label the bloody photographs! 😂

Write down those family stories that currently exist only inside someone's head.

Share what life taught you.

Or perhaps literally plant something.

A tree that grows long after you're gone.

Something another person might one day sit beneath, admire, photograph or simply appreciate the shade it provides. 🌳

Maybe they won't know your name.

But they'll be sitting beneath something that exists because you did.

And I think that's rather beautiful.

But there's another part to this.

While we're busy thinking about what we might leave behind…

we can't forget to actually LIVE while we're here.

Use the beautiful glasses.

Wear the outfit.

Take the bloody trip. 😂

Ring the person you've been thinking about.

Say I love you.

Say I'm sorry.

Say thank you.

Take the photos — and for goodness sake, actually GET IN some of them!

Watch the sunset.

Laugh until your belly hurts.

Have the conversations that matter.

Tell your people what you want before they're left trying to guess.

Because perhaps the biggest question isn't:

“What happens after I die?”

Maybe it's:

“What am I going to do while I'm here?”

And perhaps another is:

“What will continue because I was here?”

When I think about Arthur, I know the answer isn't found in the things he owned.

It's in the stories.

The memories.

The love.

And perhaps, one day, it might even be in a native tree growing somewhere beautiful — providing shade to someone who never knew the man whose story helped put it there. 🌿

That's legacy.

Not necessarily being remembered by everyone.

But leaving something meaningful for someone.

Plan with peace. Live with presence.

💜 Recruited by Universe
Guided by Heart

Why Do We Replay Conversations That Are Already Over?

Have you ever had a conversation with someone, walked away… and then continued the conversation in your head for the next three hours? 😆

I should have said this.
Why did they say that?
Did I say too much?
What did they really mean?

And sometimes it’s not hours later. It’s days.

I think most of us have done it.

Our mind loves to revisit things that somehow feel unfinished. Maybe we felt misunderstood. Maybe something hurt. Maybe we didn’t say what we really wanted to say. Or perhaps something about that conversation simply touched a deeper part of us.

So our mind presses replay.

Again. And again.

But here’s something I’ve been thinking about…

Instead of asking:

“Why can’t I stop thinking about this?”

Maybe ask:

“Why does this conversation still need my attention?”

Is there something I need to learn from it?

Is it highlighting a boundary I didn’t speak?

Has it triggered an old insecurity?

Am I worried about what someone thinks of me?

Or… am I simply keeping an old feeling alive?

Sometimes there is something for us to notice. And sometimes there isn’t.

Not every conversation will have the perfect ending. We won’t always say the perfect thing. People may misunderstand us. We may walk away wishing we’d handled something differently.

That’s being human.

Take the lesson if there is one. Be curious about why it affected you.

And then perhaps give yourself permission to stop pressing replay.

The conversation has ended.

Maybe it’s time to let the energy attached to it end too. 💜

Plan with peace. Live with presence.

Recruited by Universe — Guided by Heart

There Are Messages Everywhere… Are You Paying Attention? 🦇

Have you ever had something happen that makes you stop and think…
Okay Universe. I see you. 👀

That was me today.

For the past couple of weeks, my dreams have been getting more intense. Different situations, different people, but a very similar underlying message keeps appearing:
Change. Transition. Letting go. Freedom. And questioning what belongs in my next chapter.
Then this morning I had another one.

I was unexpectedly offered a corporate job. I knew I could do it — that wasn't the issue.

The question was:
Did I actually WANT to do it?
Was I considering returning to that world because it genuinely excited me… or simply because it was familiar and I knew I was good at it?

There's a big difference between:
"Can I do this?"
and
"Does this still belong in the life I'm creating?"

I woke up thinking about it and went about my day.

But apparently Universe thought I needed a slightly less subtle message. 😂

Enter the bat. 🦇
Tonight, a bat was discovered caught underneath my car.

Somehow, this poor little creature had become caught beneath it. Now, some people reading this will immediately understand why my spiritual brain went into overdrive.
Others will be thinking:
Shaz. It's a bat. 😂
And that's okay.

Now, you can call it coincidence, synchronicity, Universe or simply a very unfortunate bat!

But it made me stop.

Bats are often symbolically associated with transformation, intuition, endings and beginnings — and navigating through darkness.
But what really struck me was where it was.

It was caught underneath my car.

Caught beneath the very thing designed to move me forward.
Given the dreams I've been having lately, that landed.

How often do we want to move forward while something still has us caught?
An old identity.
Fear.
Security.
Expectations.
Or simply the comfort of what we already know.

Then came the part I loved most.

The bat was carefully freed from underneath the car, rescued and placed safely into a tree.

I looked at the two photos afterwards.
Caught.
And then…
Released.

And suddenly the message felt incredibly simple.

Maybe we don't always need to know where we're going next.
Maybe sometimes we simply need to become unstuck.

The bat didn't need to know where it was going next.
It just needed to be freed so it could eventually find its own way.

Perhaps we do too.
And the fact that this happened today — 30 September, the final day of what has felt like a particularly significant energetic month for me — made me pay even more attention.
Weeks of dreams carrying similar messages.

Another powerful dream this morning.

Then a bat physically caught underneath the thing that moves me forward…
followed by its release.

Okay Universe. I see you. 😂🦇

Maybe signs aren't here to give us answers or tell us what decisions to make.

Maybe they simply make us stop long enough to ask:
What am I ready to release?
What am I holding onto simply because it's familiar?

And what might become possible if I allowed myself to become unstuck?

There are messages everywhere — in dreams, conversations, songs, people, animals and those strange little moments that make us stop.

Whether you call them signs, synchronicities or coincidences doesn't really matter.

Perhaps the important thing is simply this:

Be aware enough to notice what gets your attention… and curious enough to ask yourself why.

Tonight, I'm taking one little message with me:

Caught → Released → Trust what comes next. 🦇💜

Okay Universe… I see you.

Recruited by Universe — Guided by Heart

💫I’m Writing From Life💫

I don’t share what I share, or write what I write, because I’ve got life figured out.

Far bloody from it.

I share it because I’ve either lived it, I’m still living it, or I’m somewhere in the messy middle trying to make sense of it.

And if sharing some of that brings someone else a little hope, creates awareness, starts a conversation, or simply makes another person think, “Thank God, it’s not just me”… then it’s worth sharing.

Because here’s the truth.

I talk about healing.

But I still have wounds.

I talk about grief, love and learning to move forward.

But I still hurt.

I share positive messages, thoughts and reminders.

But sometimes I need to hear those bloody reminders myself.

I talk about growth.

And then every now and again I find myself repeating an old pattern and thinking, FFS Shaz… haven’t we learnt this one already? 😂

Apparently not.

Or maybe some lessons aren’t learnt once.

Maybe we meet them again and again, just as slightly different versions of ourselves.

And hopefully each time we recognise them a little sooner.

I talk about empathy, kindness and compassion because they matter enormously to me.

But I’m also very aware that I’ve hurt people during my lifetime.

I've said the wrong thing.

I've reacted instead of responded.

I've made decisions I wouldn't make today.

I've got things completely bloody wrong.

And part of growing, I think, is being able to admit that without trying to justify it, dress it up or pretend it didn't happen.

Own your s**t.

Learn from it.

Apologise when you need to.

Try to do better.

And forgive yourself enough to keep moving forward.

Because I don't think healing is about reaching some magical point where suddenly you've dealt with every wound, mastered every lesson and become this perfectly enlightened human who floats through life completely unbothered.

I certainly haven't found that place. 😂

For me, healing has been much messier than that.

It's grief and laughter living side by side.

It's feeling incredibly strong one day and wondering where the hell that strong woman went the next.

It's knowing something intellectually but still struggling with it emotionally.

It's recognising an old version of yourself when she pops up again.

It's learning boundaries.

It's getting some of them wrong.

It's loving deeply, losing deeply and somehow continuing to love anyway.

It's learning to sit with yourself.

And perhaps most importantly, it's becoming more honest about who you are — the good bits, the bloody hard bits, the mistakes, the scars, the growth and everything still under construction.

I've learnt a lot over the last few years.

About grief.
About love.
About death.
About people.
About myself.

And one thing I'm becoming increasingly comfortable admitting is:

I'm still a work in progress.

I probably always will be.

That doesn't mean I can't sit beside someone who's struggling.

It doesn't mean I can't share something I've learnt.

It doesn't mean I have to wait until I've somehow got life completely sorted before I can be of service to someone else.

Sometimes the person holding the light is still finding their own way through the dark too.

Maybe that's why they understand the darkness in the first place.

So no, I don't write from some enlightened place where I have all the answers.

I'm writing from life.
The good bits.
The bloody hard bits.
The lessons I've learnt.

And the ones I'm apparently going to need a few more goes at. 😂

Still healing.
Still learning.
Still growing.
Still getting s**t wrong sometimes.
Still human. 🤍

And maybe that's enough.

An interesting weekend in Unanderra 🙏 and a new member to my crystal collection 💫💜💫

💜 Have you ever stopped and thought about this?

One hundred years from now — in 2126 — life will look very different.

Someone else may live in the home we worked so hard for.

The car we once loved will be long gone.

The things we saved for, worried about, collected and thought we needed may eventually belong to someone else… or simply disappear altogether.

And our names?

For many of us, we may become a crumpled photograph and may have made it into an old album, or a name on a family tree, or a story passed down through a generation or two. There may even be a QR code tagged to a headstone or a tree that outlines stories that were captured and not forgotten, but you can imagine the comments.

Think about it .. think of your own family.

How much do you know about your great-grandparents?

What made them laugh?
What did they love?
What were they afraid of?
What adventures did they have?
What did they wish they had done?
What did they want future generations to know about them?

It makes you think, doesn't it?

Because perhaps our legacy was never meant to be the house, the car, the money or everything we managed to accumulate.

Perhaps our real legacy is found in the people we loved and how we made them feel.

The conversations.
The belly laughs.
The hugs that lasted a little longer.
The photographs that captured an ordinary moment that one day became priceless.
The stories we took the time to share.
The kindness we showed.
The places we explored.
The people we helped.
The memories we created.

And perhaps there's a gentle reminder in all of this:

Don't wait.

Take the photo — and make sure you're in some of them too.

Ask your parents and grandparents about their lives.

Write down the family stories.

Tell people you love them.

Take the trip.

Give the hug.

Have the conversation you've been putting off.

Create memories while you can.

And every now and then, ask yourself:

If all the "stuff" disappeared, what would I want the people I love to remember about me?

That answer might tell you something about how you want to live today. 💜

Plan with peace. Live with presence. Leave something of yourself behind.

— Sharon
Recruited by Universe
Guided by Heart 💜

🌿 PIPERS RIDGE SOFT OPEN DAYS 🌿

Friday 18 September | 12:00–3:00pm
Friday 16 October | 12:00–3:00pm

Curious about creating a Living Legacy at Pipers Ridge, just past Lithgow, NSW?

Pipers Ridge offers families a different way to think about remembrance and what a final resting place can look like.

🌳 The Living Legacy Forest provides an opportunity for cremated ashes to become part of a living memorial within nature. Through a specialised process, ashes are treated and infused into the surrounding soil of a chosen tree, allowing families to create a beautiful, environmentally considered place of remembrance that can continue to grow for generations.

Rather than visiting a traditional cemetery or memorial site, families can return to a peaceful natural environment — a place to walk, reflect, remember, share stories and continue their connection with someone they love.

The Soft Open Days are an opportunity for prospective families, tree purchasers and potential partners to experience Pipers Ridge for the first time in a relaxed and welcoming setting.

Take a guided walk through the Wollemi Pine Forest and Botanical Memorial Garden, learn about the Living Legacy experience and explore how you or your family could create a meaningful place of remembrance for generations to come.

What to expect:

🌿 Guided tour of the Wollemi Pine Forest and Botanical Memorial Garden
🍽️ Light lunch and refreshments
🌱 Learn about Living Legacy trees and memorial spaces
🔥 See a demonstration of the ash infusion process and learn how it works
💚 Discover a more natural and personal approach to creating a lasting memorial
✨ Optional wellness experiences may also be available — details to be confirmed

There is absolutely no obligation. These days are simply an opportunity to come, experience the surroundings, ask questions and see how it feels for you.

Spaces for each Soft Open Day are limited, so please register your preferred date through Calendly.

https://calendly.com/pipersridge-events/pipers-ridge-soft-open-day

Sometimes understanding whether a place feels right begins simply by being there. 🌿

Come and experience Pipers Ridge and discover what it could mean to leave a Living Legacy.

That moment when you know you are somewhere special...

I had one of those moments today.

You arrive somewhere, look around, take in the surroundings, and something inside you simply says, this place is special.

Today, that place for me was the Wollemi Pine and Botanical Garden.

Nestled in an area I already have a soft spot for, I was introduced to a beautiful concept for honouring someone we love after they have died — not simply finding a final resting place for their ashes, but creating a living legacy.

A place where their ashes can become part of Mother Earth and nature, through a process that safely transforms cremated ashes so they can be infused into the earth with a memorial tree.

And that really got me thinking.

What if our final resting place could continue to grow?

We often talk about where we would like our ashes scattered, kept or interred.

But imagine choosing a tree.

Imagine family being able to return years later and sit beneath its branches.

To watch it change through the seasons.

To bring the grandchildren.

To have a quiet conversation.

To remember.

To perhaps place a hand on its trunk and know that someone they loved has, quite literally, become part of this beautiful living environment.

There is something incredibly special about that.

A Living Legacy Forest.

And perhaps that's why today felt personal too...

The Lithgow area already holds some beautiful memories for me, particularly memories with my hubby in Spirit, Arty.

So there was something quite poignant about being there today, walking through the property and imagining what this place could become.

Today wasn't just about looking around.

I had the opportunity to meet the owners, hear more about their vision, ask lots of questions — you know me! — tour the area and share some thoughts and ideas about how they could make the most of this beautiful concept and location.

And yes... my mind was certainly ticking over!

Because end-of-life planning isn't only about paperwork.

It isn't only about Advance Care Directives, Wills, funerals and getting our affairs in order.

It's also about asking:

What matters to me?

How do I want to be remembered?

Where would I like the people I love to come and remember me?

And perhaps...

Could my final resting place actually give something back to the earth?

Something beautiful is growing...

This Living Legacy Forest is an exciting concept coming to the Lithgow area, and I'm very interested to see where the journey takes them.

Today was my introduction.

And I have a feeling it won't be my last visit.

Sometimes you walk into a place and you can already imagine what it could become.

Today was one of those days.

🌿 Watch this space.

Recruited by Universe
Plan with peace. Live with presence.
Ok Universe, I see you.