I am writing this while trying to see through eyes that are blurred by tears. I just got word from someone whose posts have been extremely enlightening, and whom I admire a great deal, that he has decided to leave the board, due entirely to the undertone of ugliness that has been running through it of late. It had crossed my mind to make this plea anyway, and this message cemented my decision.

Please, please, could the posts containing bitterness and ugliness stop? I have quite enough of that going on in my real life right now, and to see it here, where I have always found so much joy, is...dismaying, to say the least.
I do know that life is not all sweetness and light: I was a Child Protective Services worker for 15 years. But this board has been such a refuge for me and for some others;
I fervently hope that it will continue to be that. I really don't want to come here with dread, wondering if I'm going to find yet another instance of somebody being awful to somebody else. Thank you.