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Viewing comments for Chapter 12 "The Sun Shines Outside"
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11 total reviews 
Comment from Mike Stevens
Excellent
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Another fine write, Gypsy, captures the essence of depression, which robs you of hope. I can't imagine being that depressed, but being that bad only once in my life, and it probable wasn't real depression as I willed myself to get over it, I can imagine being that depressed

 Comment Written 12-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 12-Apr-2024
    hello, mike,

    real depression is like a wheel, it gets worse and worse, if you catch it before it gets really bad you can will yourself or at the very least, you can manage it to a point. Having family and friends ... a supportive circle helps, healthy food, exercise, etc.. . If you let it get all the way around it's really hard to get off. I tried to catch it before it got really bad but my doctor was very bad at adjusting medication. Medicine helps but you have to find the right one.. that is hard. I am lucky I have a good psychiatrist that listens and finds the right meds for me. Also, I moved in with my daughter and that helps too. By nature, I am a very introverted person. I have a handful of good friends and most of them live far away.

    Thank you very much, I hope you are having a wonderful day.

    gypsy hugs
reply by Mike Stevens on 12-Apr-2024
    Good to know a person can will themselves out of depression and I'm sure it was bad. It sure felt real at the time. Sounds like you eventually got the right amount of help. I never want to feel that way again. Thank you, Gypsy
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2024
    Yes, I lived alone for ten years and was p
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2024
    No, a person can't will themselves out of depression. Depression is a disease
reply by the author on 12-Apr-2024
    Well if it's catch in time, before it sets in
reply by Mike Stevens on 13-Apr-2024
    I consider myself lucky....and, she wasn't even worth the suffering
reply by the author on 15-Apr-2024
    Good for you
Comment from barbara.wilkey
Excellent
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I think I've shared with you that I have a daughter-in-law, who is bi-polar. My heart goes out to anybody who shares that disease. Thank you for highlighting it for us. More people need to be aware of it.

 Comment Written 12-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 12-Apr-2024
    Thank you very much for your excellent review and kind feedback. I hope it helps others with the same disease

    Gypsy hugs
Comment from Jasmine Girl
Excellent
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Yes. This must be very hard to live with and I hope poetry writing helps. I think going outside in nature might help. Going outside and having fresh air has helped me to overcome my early dysfunctional family all my life.

Well done.

 Comment Written 12-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 12-Apr-2024
    Thank you very much for your excellent review and kind feedback.

    Gypsy hugs
Comment from GWHARGIS
Excellent
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Is this a variation on a haibun? I tried so hard to master that, but it's very hard. You are sending a message with this. Life is hard some days. Through no fault of your own. Be it memories flooding your mind, physical pain, missing someone. Life hits sometimes at the most inopportune times. This was real and very beautiful. Gretchen

 Comment Written 12-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 12-Apr-2024
    I love writing haibun because it's succinct and visual. I am not a good writer but I can write haibun.

    There are several types of haibun. .... short prose with one haiku or longer prose with intermittent haiku. It can be a short moment in time or a journal type. The best haibun in history was written by Matsuo Basho, a haiku master in the 17th century. It's called narrow road to the Interior... a journal of his travels.

    I added the rules and several links in my author notes. You should give it a try. It can be humorous if you want to.

    Thank you very much for your excellent review and kind feedback.

    Gypsy hugs
Comment from Jumbo J
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Hi MariVal,
there is so much despair and pain, I don't know where I begin as my head spins around and my mind fills with empathy at the thought of such a tortured mind. But of course I empathise, for I know its tentacles and content to a certain extent.

You have described this darkness that lingers within, in such a creative way. The prose leads you to the narrative and the haiku's demand one to breathe in the stale echoes created through powerful descriptive emotions.

This is a very potent and candid sharing MariVal... I tip my hat to you dear friend... offer you my hand, so you may be covered on both sides to face each new day as it comes.


Mujer Guerrera Reina Lobo Gitana...
Les mando mi amor y sanaciĆ³n siempre!

With our thoughts we create...
spiraling abysses.

Warmest regards,
James.

 Comment Written 11-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 12-Apr-2024
    Hello, James, it's so good to hear from you!

    I appreciate your exceptional six stars insightful and kind review. You know how I feel and you know my story. Thank you for empathizing.. it's in your nature. I love your reviews because you really SEE ME.

    I have written about my life and my bipolar disease before. Most people know I'm bipolar. Some may judge me but that's okay, I will aways be true and honest. As the sayinggoes, I'm "like an open book." It's part of who I am... I hope it will help someone. I have received nice reviews so far. Three people told me they are bipolar too. 20% of adults are experiencing a mental illness. Equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans. 4.91% are experiencing a severe mental illness. --Adult Data 2022 --Mental Health America MH

    Gracias, amigo mio, besitos y abrazos,

    MariVal
    "to thine own self be true" -Shakespeare?s, Hamlet
Comment from shelley kaye
Excellent
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sounds like me in the summer - the higher the temp gets, the lower my mood lol. i just keep looking forward to winter! great haibun!! so much imagery and the 3 haiku flowed into the story well. great one-line to end with.

thank you for sharing!
shelley :)

 Comment Written 11-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 11-Apr-2024
    Thank you very much for your excellent review and kind words.

    Gypsy hugs
Comment from jessizero
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

This was a beautiful piece. It was heartbreaking, as well. I am schizoaffective (bipolar type), so I can relate. I am glad you had the courage to post this, and I hope it will help someone. Thank you for shairng, and best wishes to you.

 Comment Written 11-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 11-Apr-2024
    Thank you very much, Jessi, I appreciate your exceptional six stars review. I know you understand how it is. Thank you very much for sharing.

    Gypsy hugs
Comment from LateBloomer
Excellent
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Hi Gypsy, powerful writing. I'm sorry that I don't have a sixer for this piece. Hopefully, writing about some of this will help you as well as others. Of special note:

I feel disconnected, life marches on without me.
(G, the disconnect is probably the hardest part)

Thank you for your author's notes. Today you wrote something brave.
Well done. Xo. Margaret

 Comment Written 11-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 11-Apr-2024
    Thank you very much for your excellent review and kind words, Margaret. I appreciate your understanding.

    Gypsy hugs
Comment from RJ Heritage
Excellent
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As I started to read this, I kept saying that this sounds like a kind of depression. I thank you for sharing this personal journey. The genre to me, is perhaps one of my favorites to date. I like the way the prose tells the narrative, sets it up and then the Haiku deepens it, gives it a swing and resolves the conflict. I want to say that it is beautiful, but perhaps the word is consuming. It certainly held me there.
Keep up the good fight.
Your words have inspired me to try the Haibun in the future.
RJ

 Comment Written 11-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 11-Apr-2024
    Haibun is a wonderful poetic form if you want to write prose and. Haiku. I hope you write one. Let me know if you need help.

    Thank you. R J
reply by RJ Heritage on 11-Apr-2024
    You are welcome.
    RJ
reply by RJ Heritage on 12-Apr-2024
    Thank you, you?re welcome.
    RJ
Comment from royowen
Excellent
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Of course being a fan of yours for many years I'm aware of your struggles, even as a believer, I likewise have had my struggles, but hope has had its victory, I faced severe depression when very young, but I'm optimistic by nature and threw.it off by decision, but hope is a strong motive, and I know yo have that, plus the the therapeutic ability to write yourself out of a corner, light will always come. Beautifully written, blessings Roy

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 Comment Written 11-Apr-2024


reply by the author on 11-Apr-2024
    Thank you for sharing your story. I didn't know that but I know a lot of people have mental illness to a point. Obviously God has help you get through it , I'm happy about that.

    Thank you very much for your excellent review and kind words.

    Gypsy hugs

    Gypsy hugs
reply by royowen on 11-Apr-2024
    Most welcome