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I had planned to send out this blog post in February, but I couldn’t bring myself to finish it because, like many Vancouverites, I spent the month either sick or recovering. At first, it was mostly physical discomfort—on-and-off headaches, chills, and fatigue—but as the weeks passed, these recurring colds drained not just my body but also my spirit. I began showing signs of emotional burnout and developed a visceral aversion to spending another weekend editing my memoir, a story of suicide loss and grief. I was simply too fragile to relive such a heavy story and, honestly, too depleted to do anything but rest and recharge—a difficult task for someone who always has a creative project (or two) on the go. Overwhelmed on all fronts—physically, mentally, and emotionally—I wondered: Can I take a break? Should I take a break? Do I even have a choice?

Continue reading this blog on Substack at:

https://pauladimarco.substack.com/p/an-invincible-summer-finding-inspiration

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