If You Feel Too Much by Jamie Tworkowski

copy received for review

Sigh.

It's been a weird week.  And I know, I usually post about 9/11, but somehow this all feels connected right now.

See, I'd intended to post all week about suicide prevention, depression, and To Write Love on her Arms... including reviewing this book.

But what to say?

I don't feel like I'm in a mental place right now where I can put my own struggle out there.  I like the idea, but I can't find the words.

I've started so many blog posts this week.

I don't have all the answers.  Some days I'm not sure I have any answers.

But as Jamie says more than once in this book-- I'm alive.  I'm here.  That's valuable.

This book is honestly kind of an odd compilation of blogposts... bits and pieces of Jamie that didn't always make sense to me.

It's not nearly as much stories of depression as I thought.

You see, for all that this book is tiny, I was scared to read it.

Scared to open myself up to other people's pain.  Sometimes I internalize too much of it... and this balancing act of life is hard enough as it is.

But there was less pain than I expected.  And more than anything there was hope.

Hope and an affirmation that we're all in this together-- all writing our own important overlapping stories.

So.

I don't see how I can rate this book... how do you give out stars for a person's life?

I'm glad I read it.  I recommend it.

And at the end of the day, I like how it closes.... with the same words they're using for suicide prevention week this week:

We'll see you tomorrow.

Random Musings and Lots of Links

First off, have you read this piece by Alice Walker's daughter??
How my mother's fanatical views tore us apart- Rebecca Walker

If you haven't, I highly recommend it. I found it very interesting, especially seeing it so soon after finishing Family Secrets, which talks a lot about movements like the more extreme feminism and the idea that the nuclear family had become obsolete.
What a strong women to be able to overcome that kind of an upbringing and learn the value of motherhood!


Second, you may or may not know- I have clinical depression and anxiety.  It's something that I've learned to be really open about... and yet still don't necessarily talk about.
Anyway, I came across a couple of posts recently that I think are just dead on (no suicidal puns intended there) and wanted to share them:
Adventures in Depression (Hyperbole and a half)
Depression, Part 2 (Hyperbole and a half)

Now, just in case you're concerned, this is not a cry for help.  I'm actually amazing healthy right now. But I haven't always been.  And I probably won't always be.  And what she says is just so true... so real... so accurate.

Hmmm, so I'm realizing now that this could be kind of a depressing post...  so here's a couple of links to the pinterest boards where I post funny stuff... just to lighten the mood. ;)

Makes Me Smile

Queen of My Own Little Nerd-dom