According to Italian custom, I should be wearing all black for the rest of my life, or until I remarry. Considering we are now in the 21st century, that rarely happens anymore. Two years seems to be the norm for all black, and after that, other dark colors are acceptable. Rob disliked the custom.
A good portion of my wardrobe is black, so there's no significant change, but I'm not avoiding the use of color. I could wear a button or ribbon, but I get tired of answering the question of "Why?". I was wearing his flight team dog tags and wedding ring on a chain, but it started to feel like an anchor rather than a comfort so I took them off and put them in my purse. They're still with me, but I don't get the questions. I can pull them out when I need them, and put them away when it's too much.
And because I didn't want to post these togther...
Is it advisable for me to start reading the Hunger Games trilogy now, considering my situation?
How do you feel about crying? It's going to make you sad, at the best of times, I think. It's not a specific illness trigger, but there's lots of death and loss, and I'm fairly sure it will have you in tears--I was pretty wracked with sobbing for Mockingjay.
If you don't want to be set off, avoid it. If you don't mind a contained hurricane of catharsis and bleakness, go ahead.
I would say no. I put it off during my post-tsunami depression and I'm glad I did so. And that wasn't nearly as personal.
Maria, if reading something that can be very sad about something that is unrelated to your own sadness at the moment, then I say read it. If you think it might make you more depressed, I say skip it for now. I have often found reading depressing things that are unrelated to my own problems at the time is actually helpful, but I know I am not the norm in that.
It depends, Maria. The trilogy is pretty wrenching, but...
Every time I have a truly bleak depression episode, I know I'm coming out of it when I can watch "Once More With Feeling" and sob for an hour. It's cathartic for me.
But it's kind of a personal ritual at this point, so...YMMV.
ETA: Or, what sj said.
Is it advisable for me to start reading the Hunger Games trilogy now, considering my situation?
Plei said I have to wait another year before I read the trilogy. I can go see the movie, but no reading the books for me right now. So I suspect you probably shouldn't read them right now, either.
ETA: Or, what sj said.
I was just about to post that you said it better.
I love each and every one of you. Just in case you didn't know....
I shall ponder.
