more on grief; I have never seen understood or related more to Aang as a character in my life to the point where I can't even think about the episodes where he's separated from Appa without crying. There is something deeply traumatizing and difficult to comprehend until you've experienced it yourself about unexpectedly losing your companion and realizing she was largely responsible for your ability to get through all of the other hardships in your life. Knowing she was there waiting for me and loving me at the end of the day made everything so much easier, and now that she's gone, it's hard to find meaning in anything. I must keep reminding myself "[her] love for you has not left this world. It is still inside of your heart."
Also rereading Dragons' meta a lot as I reflect on my emotions, especially this part: "Aang throws himself into distractions, travel, and fun, when he’s not confronting his grief head on. And the former methods are exactly what Aang does for a majority of the series because to a certain degree, it keeps him functional." And, boy! Oh wow, does that hit home. Every time I'm not occupying myself with a hobby or a game or a project, I'm thinking of Wiggles.
I have always been deeply emotionally connected to Aang, but I feel that on another level now. I wish I didn't, but at least this has given me another avenue through which I can process my grief.
