mr. bun bun, chocolate chip cookie dough, and cinderella.

My thoughts have been occupied as of late by an idea that has formed after observing young men and women's coping maneuvers with grief:

do we cope in certain ways because that is how we coped as a young child?

For example: a lovely friend of mine watches Disney movies whenever grief or stress arises.

Note: this friend is a young man.

Another: a friend of mine spent the entire weekend holding her teddy bear close to her bosom, even when going out for a nightly meal of a Dairy Queen Blizzard in her pajamas and slippers.

And yet another: a young lady cries as much as she needs to, coddling herself with chocolates and nap time, never ceasing to curl up in a blanket and watch Cinderella rather than doing homework.

Note: the lattest is yours truly.

Still, writing is my primary coping mechanism, but only after much training to force myself to choose this method rather than something more scarring.

No pun intended.

I don't believe there's anything wrong with running to Target to buy a familiar ice cream flavor or curling up with a tearjerker that you already know all the sappiest lines to. Coping is necessary, more necessary than many would like to believe. 

As is rest. Some, including myself, may see rest as a weakness or a waste of time. But really, it's a necessity that later allows for the week to be conquered with more vigor, and, once in a while, more calories. :)

“Dottie, you need to learn to take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else.”—ex-boyfriend number four

If I have learned anything this week, it's that we all need to rest, no matter what form that takes. However, I encourage the "Midnight Truffle" Blizzard and Disney's Beauty and the Beast, which comes out of the Disney vault tomorrow anyway.

And while you're at it, take a nap, goshdarnit.