I am “generation Harry Potter” (and please, I really do not wish to discuss JK Rowling right now). What I mean is that I was just the right age when the books where first published and I grew up with them being a few years younger than the protagonists.
Now I did not have the most ideal childhood. My home situation was complicated and I was home alone a lot. I also was a sickly child and had to stay home from school often. I did not get much but I wish for a new book every now and then and when I was home alone because of a tonsilitis my mom bought me Harry Potter. I was 9.
Since then HP somehow became my comfort zone, my safe space. Whenever I felt like shit I would hole up in my room and read through the HP books. As a teen I never told anyone since I already understood it was weird to read a book again and again to flee from reality. But I figured it will phase out once I am an adult and “figured stuff out”.
Well, it didn’t. You can guess how old I am given the above information and through all my 20’s and then 30’s til now I kept turning to the HP books whenever something bad happened. Especially something grief and death related.
Yesterday my grandmother died completely unexpectedly (I mean, she was old but she was relatively well until now and she was out for a coffe and cake and then dinner the day before yesterday with my parents even. Sudden fatal heart attack not even 24 hours later. I missed the chance to see her again after months of not visiting. We had planned a day together on Dec 1st. I am incredibly sad and full of guilt).
I took off of work today and now I am at home, sudden crying outbursts all the time and it’s like my whole body and mind scream for my personal method of “relief”: Lay in bed with a hot cup of tea and HP and the sorcerers stone and just nope out of real life. I know this is not healthy and a little weird but it helps me so much.
I just wanted to know if others know this feeling as well… and what your comfort book and story is.
I know this is not healthy and a little weird but it helps me so much.
NOPE, you’re 100 percent wrong here. There is nothing unhealthy about revisiting a favorite book that takes you back to a cozy safe place. Millions of people do this. Millions of people do this also with Harry Potter lol Don’t let yourself feel bad about reading. ever!
Would you say revisiting an old friend is unhealthy? no. And that’s exactly what your doing. Rereading a favorite book or re watching a favorite movie or show is absolutely fine to do and is like visiting an old friend. Obviously you should always explore other things in life and not just be on a constant loop of rereading it over and over and over all year long lol but if your making time for other things then revisit it as much as you want! I have reread the HP series maybe 3 times in full and the first 3 for sure 4 or 5 time lol I also revisit “the Giver” which is my childhood favorite a lot, maybe once a year, give or take. For more “adult” read, I have read Patrick Rothfuss “The name of the wind” twice so far but I know for a fact that I will reread that book every couple years for the rest of my life. It’s a piece of art in the fact that it NEEDS to be revisited because its so beautiful and complex that you could read it every year for 90 years and find something new about it. or interpret something new about it.
NEVER stop doing what makes you happy