Hi. I just finished listening to The Watchmaker's Doctor. Congratulations on such a thought provoking story and well done on getting Khristine Hvam to narrate it.
As a member of a family with a history of Depression (and its cunning cousins), I want to thank you for your portrayal of mental illness, its diagnosis, treatment and far-reaching effects.
I don't know if this is something that affects your life, but if it is, I hope you and/or your loved one/s persevere.
I would dearly love to be able to replace 'persevere' with 'overcome'. However in my experience, for those of us who know it is A PART OF US, a more achievable and foundational element allowing us to function, is perseverance.
Hope and determination require so much emotional energy that they are not always accessible. Perhaps it is semantics to some people, but for me perseverance is not enmeshed with emotive connotations. Perseverance is not something that requires or even suggests to me any 'digging deep' or 'plumbing depths' - it goes nowhere near emotional or mental exertions. It is closer to the action of an automaton than an emotional being. Or perhaps one may see it as repetition or habit — regardless, it is something FAR more achievable.
Anyway this is merely MY way of continuing when challenged by my illness, and as such, these are the musings I share with others if the topic arises.
A foundation that is strong is reliable and reassuring, and best of all it can be built upon.
To you, and to anyone else who is affected by that particular theme in your wonderful story, I encourage perseverance throughout every 'today' that you face.
Wishing you, your loved ones, and your readers much happiness, good health and peace.
Cathryn
