tldr: my family has been surrounded by death and illness and accidents and hospitals and trauma for months now and it's such a juxtaposition (big word, sasha!) to living life that it's been so hard to learn to embrace both for what it is
As a girl with major depression and anxiety disorders, who also deals with every single negative situation with humour, it's always a toss-up for how I'll act when I get news (period... any kind of news really, lmao).
Let's work backwards, not super chronologically, over the last couple of months:
I had a job interview this week, but I also had to email my ex boss trying to tie up loose ends quickly while also trying not to burn bridges - one door closes and one opens all at once.
Last week I quit my job (kind of spontaneously but it was more of a "not really an 'if' but when" situation), and handed off everything to a temp worker two days later... and I don't have a plan, no backup job ready, just my consulting and tattoo businesses - BUT a really cool interview I did with CanvasRebel Magazine was finally published today so that's really cool and hopefully helpful.
Last week we learned that a good family friend suddenly passed away from their alcohol addiction, and that was also very unexpected news. There's a GoFundMe for them if you feel inclined to support. My sister suspected it first based on a photo posted, but when I asked someone in their family they confirmed it, and I had to break that official news to my family. That was hard.
The same day that we found out, my mom went to a funeral of a client of hers that she got close to over the last 11 years; She died from a blood infection and it all happened very quickly. I dropped my mom off and picked her up at the church and it was SO busy there - a huge turnout, which is so special.
That same day of his death, a new friend of mine found out her dad had a stroke. I'm not sure of the overall damage, if any, but she lost her mom when she was 12 which makes this even scarier - luckily she's close with her sister and they've been able to lean on each other a lot through this.
A few weeks ago, my mom learned of another long-time client of hers that passed away from a heart attack very suddenly, and my mom somehow was the one to inform her other clients, so she's been in mourning for a while.
Three weeks ago my cousin's new husband (they got married in November 2023) was involved in an accident that left him unconscious for the better part of these three weeks, a broken collar bone, a brain bleed, seizures, and was initially declared brain dead the night of the accident and was being tested for organ donation, but has since improved dramatically, but still isn't fully conscious. BIG rollercoaster of emotions and updates. There's a GoFundMe for them too if you feel so inclined to support them because they have two kids under the age of 8. This was bad enough news, but I had to break this news to my parents and my sister too... that was so not fun.
A few weeks ago one of my mom's oldest friends told her she's been going through a pretty rough divorce and the guy she's been seeing has been physically (and otherwise) abusive, and she's been having suicidal thoughts and has attempted a few times. This on top of some other legal things
A few weeks before that, one of my mom's closest friend's child (19 year old) was raped by someone we have all known for years, and this person has obviously distanced themself from everyone and gotten sympathy from a lot of their friends, really showing everyone's true colours. That's been another hard one for us and their family to deal with - Lots of therapy has been involved since.
Needless to say, luckily, I was finally taken off the waitlist and started weekly therapy in September. Not sure how much more I can take personally/mentally, but I have a lot of really good friends that I can lean on and vent to, and my family has obviously stayed extremely close-knit over all these changes.
Anyway.
Keep your family and friends close, and start being annoying as fuck about how much you say you love them. ALSO quit your job if you're as unhappy as I was... it's not fucking worth it, especially when people around you are (almost/)dying left, right, and center. Don't be a slave to Big Work lol.
xoxo,
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