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[aleheartilly]

What Regina King said about grief and mental health

Regina King's interview on Good Morning America has really stuck with me in the last two months. I am not a mother yet, and at this rate, I may never become a mother (I will not discuss why on here; it's too personal). So, I admit, I don't know what it's like to lose a child. I don't understand what that feels like. And I will never pretend to understand what that feels like.

But, I do know grief. And, I also do know depression.

The grief that I feel the most for is one of my friends, who died by suicide a few years ago — much like Regina's son, Ian, unfortunately, had. They were the same age as me; I was a few months older than them. I only really knew them for a little while, but when I heard about their death, I still cried for a month. I still dreamt about them for a month. I still grieved for them for a month. The thought that someone who I knew and was exactly my age had ended their life was a complete shock to me. Up until that point, I had never known anybody my age who died. Their death changed me, profoundly — much like how Regina losing Ian completely changed her. Afterwards, I started holding on to my friends tighter, learning to care more sincerely about their problems, doing anything I could to ensure that I wouldn't lose anymore friends. Essentially, I learned how to become a better friend from this loss.

I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder three times in my life, since I became an adult. Depression is absolutely horrible. Depression is a bitch. I have contemplated dying by suicide a few times — once it was due to a horrible break-up with an abusive boyfriend; twice it was due to losing my job post-COVID.

I love how, in this interview, Regina talks about the importance of understanding mental health and depression, and points out that people expect depression to look a certain way. Mental health is something that still needs to be de-stigmatized. Sadly, quite a few people still don't take mental health seriously. Quite a few people still don't think that therapy, even just considering therapy, is worth it. Yet, Regina makes it clear that when she saw Ian struggle with his mental health, she tried to help him. She went to therapy with him. She saw psychiatrists with him. Regina is so much better than my own parents, who refuse to acknowledge that mental health is a real and serious thing, who refuse to believe that I have depression.

Even through her grief, even through her sadness, Regina is so articulate in this interview. I hope that she, and anyone else who's experienced the tragedy of losing a child, remains okay and surrounds herself with support and love as she and her family continue to navigate through their journey without Ian.

"Grief is a journey"

"Grief is love that has no place to go"

#mental health #grief #depression #love #robin roberts #good morning america #therapy #tw: suicide #regina king #tw: sucidal thoughts #gif

[aleheartilly]

スコリノは手つないでそれでぎゅってしててくれれば私が幸せ

#Squall #Squall Leonhart #Squall x Rinoa #Rinoa Heartilly #Rinoa #Final Fantasy VIII #ffviii #final fantasy 8 #rinoa ff8 #final fantasy 8 fanart #squall leonheart #ff8 fanart #ff8 #ffviii fanart #final fantasy viii fanart #squall and rinoa #squinoa #squinoa fanart #squall ff8

[aleheartilly]

#Squall #Squall Leonhart #Squall x Rinoa #Rinoa Heartilly #Rinoa #Final Fantasy VIII #ffviii #ff8 #rinoa ff8 #final fantasy 8 #final fantasy 8 fanart #ffviii fanart #final fantasy viii fanart #ff8 fanart #squall leonheart #squall and rinoa #squinoa #squinoa fanart #squall ff8

[aleheartilly]

[RANDOM FANFICTION SPOTLIGHT] Gift

It's Saturday again, and that means it's fanfiction spotlight time!

Today's spotlight is on Gift, in which Squall realizes is not being a good boyfriend and tries to make up for it. It was written around Valentine's Day so prepare for full-blown fluff.

You can find it on AO3 and FF.net.

#final fantasy viii #ff8 #ffviii #squall leonhart #final fantasy 8 #rinoa heartilly #squall #squall ff8 #squall/rinoa #squinoa #rinoa #squall x rinoa #squinoa fanfiction #squall and rinoa #squinoasource #rinoa ff8 #ffviii fanfiction #ff8 fanfiction #final fantasy viii fanfiction #final fantasy 8 fanfiction #random fanfiction spotlight

[aleheartilly]

From Love can:

He turns to shut the computer down; no more work will be done tonight anyway, and it’s not like working late into the evenings helped him until now. His mind keeps wandering, so what’s the point in brooding scooped up in his office? At least, by brooding in bed he can hope to fall asleep out of sheer exhaustion. A picture on his desk, vaguely illuminated by his desk lamp, catches his attention. He smiles despite himself, picking it up and brushing his thumb on the glossy image of his Sorceress. They looked so happy, back when things were simpler, and she was by his side to quiet his doubts, to conquer his fears, to let him breathe.

This week’s word is…

✨ TURN ✨

Find the word in any WIP and share the sentence containing it. Reply, reblog, stick it in the tags, tag us in a new post, or keep it private. All fandoms, all ships, all writers welcome.

#word game wednesday #my wips

[aleheartilly]

the best way to take a bath ♥ ♥ ♥

#Squall #Squall Leonhart #Squall x Rinoa #Rinoa Heartilly #Rinoa #Final Fantasy VIII #ffviii #ff8 #final fantasy 8 #rinoa ff8 #final fantasy 8 fanart #squall and rinoa #squinoa #squall leonheart #ff8 fanart #final fantasy viii fanart #ffviii fanart #squinoa fanart #squall ff8

[aleheartilly]

Nothing special, just shaking the dust off. 🚂💛

#final fantasy viii #ff8 #ffviii #final fantasy 8 #selphie fanart #selphie tilmitt #selphie ff8

[aleheartilly]

#Final Fantasy VIII #Rinoa #Rinoa Heartilly #Squall x Rinoa #Squall Leonhart #ffviii #ff8 #Squall #rinoa ff8 #final fantasy 8 #final fantasy 8 fanart #squall and rinoa #squinoa #squinoa fanart #squall leonheart #ff8 fanart #final fantasy viii fanart #ffviii fanart #squall ff8 #Angelo

[aleheartilly]

[FANFIC MILESTONE] Nuvole Bianche

I'm very happy because my story Nuvole Bianche reached a milestone... this is a story that is very dear to my heart, for many reasons that I explained in the past and probably some more I can't explain.

Thank you, everyone. This one meant the world.

Read on AO3 :: FF.net

#final fantasy viii #ff8 #ffviii #final fantasy 8 #squall leonhart #rinoa heartilly #squall #rinoa #squall x rinoa #squinoa #squinoa fanfiction #julia heartilly #laguna loire #general caraway #fanfic milestone

[aleheartilly]

150 bookmarks reached a few days ago on AO3!

Thank you, everyone.

#fanfic milestone

[aleheartilly]

Had to take this screenshot a few days ago: 8888 hits

[aleheartilly]

STAY SAFE!! [ID: the Gilbert Baker pride flag with the words “Happy pride to all those who are unable to celebrate openly and safely. You are loved and seen!” in all-caps black text over it. /end ID]

[aleheartilly]

Five Lines Tag

Thanks for the tag @angelosearch!

rules: find five lines based on the prompts you are given, then change one of the prompts at the end!

A Line About Butts

From Pieces:

“Oh, you better,” he says, pressing his lips against her hair, moving his hand to pinch her backside. “In Balamb, we are really serious about our pasta.”

A Sad Line

From The Wolves (what might have been lost):

On a table on his right, a small glass vase was holding the flowers she loved so much. Loved. The past tense never sounded so definite, so irreversible, so painful as when he has to use it to talk about the woman he loves. And it hurts so damn much to think she loved things, she loved him, but he still loves her and it’s almost like having a black hole swallowing his entire being.

A Furious Line

From chapter 4 of my AU The Winter Rose:

"Because it's all about you, Princess." He moved his arm to point at the painting, at the ceiling in all its glorious, magnificent opulence. "You need this and you don't care what other people may feel about that. It's all about what you want, and what you need. Did you ever stop to consider maybe I don't want to be involved in this Knight thing you need?"

A Line Describing Scenery

From A seat next to you:

There’s a timid sun, shining on their flower field through a couple of clouds. The air is filled with the scent of flowers, and there’s a soft breeze that ruffles her hair, carrying the smell of a cleansing storm. She realizes there’s an animal somewhere nearby – a seagull, maybe, crying over the crashing waves of the sea.

A Fun Line

From Board Games:

“First Squall’s fat ass on my fragile back and then your scrawny elbow in my beautiful eye!”

Sooooo I tag @suleikashideaway, @irishais, @summonerluna, @gardengalwrites. @deemoyza and whoever wants to try Your lines are:

A Line About Skies

A Sad Line

A Furious Line

A Line Describing Scenery

A Fun Line

#tag game #quote game #ffviii #ff8 #final fantasy viii #final fantasy 8 #squall leonhart #rinoa heartilly #squall #rinoa #squall x rinoa #squinoa #squinoa fanfiction

[aleheartilly]

[RANDOM FANFICTION SPOTLIGHT] Romanticism

Time for another spotlight!

Romanticism was the second story I wrote for Ashbear's challenge in 2012, and was only cross-posted on AO3 recently with its original publication date, mainly because I'm not really convinced it's good. But readers seemed to appreciate it on FF.net, so maybe I'm not objective. Dunno.

If you wanna read it anyway after this horrible introduction, you can find it on AO3 or FF.net.

#final fantasy 8 #rinoa heartilly #squall leonhart #squall #ffviii #squall x rinoa #rinoa #squinoa #ff8 #squinoa fanfiction #squall ff8 #final fantasy viii #squall and rinoa #squinoasource #squall/rinoa #ffviii fanfiction #ff8 fanfiction #rinoa ff8 #final fantasy viii fanfiction #final fantasy 8 fanfiction #random fanfiction spotlight #dr kadowaki

[aleheartilly]

If you have Spotify reblog this and tag what your number one song on your “on repeat” playlist is.

#every word was a piece of my heart by jon bon jovi

[aleheartilly]

From Love can:

“It’s… a special place. You’ll know when we get there.” He hops on the bike, extending his hand to help her to get on, too. “It’s a bit far,” he says, quietly, and Rinoa thinks she can hear him just because she is so close to him. It’s almost like he’s talking to himself only. “But we’ll make it.” He revs up the engine, as she settles behind him, circling his waist with her arms. She is not going to complain if she can spend some time holding him close, and as he instructs her to hold on, she smiles, pressing even closer to his back. She is hot, as the long-sleeved shirt and the jacket are not suitable for the warmth of late June, and she will probably be uncomfortable during the journey too, but she has never felt happier. More at ease.

This week’s word is…

✨ HOT ✨

Find the word in any WIP and share the sentence containing it. Reply, reblog, stick it in the tags, tag us in a new post, or keep it private. All fandoms, all ships, all writers welcome.

#word game wednesday #wip wednesday #my wips #squall leonhart #rinoa heartilly #ff8 #ffviii

[aleheartilly]

From Stay:

Squall swallows, pinching the bridge of his nose. He feels a headache coming. “You don’t have to tell me what happened, really. Couples fight, no big deal. But… I guess you don’t know what to do, do you?” Still no reaction. “Listen, Squall, I’m doing this just because I’m your friend, ok? And Rinoa’s friend too. I didn’t let her scratch me just to see you two break up over a stupid fight.” “We didn’t really break up,” says Squall, finally. “And it was not stupid.” “Is it worth enough losing her?”

This week’s word is…

✨ FRIEND ✨

Find the word in any WIP and share the sentence containing it. Reply, reblog, stick it in the tags, tag us in a new post, or keep it private. All fandoms, all ships, all writers welcome.

#ffviii #ff8 #my wips #squall leonhart #irvine kinneas #word game wednesday #wip wednesday