Revelations

It's a chapter in the Bible that I am constantly avoiding. I can probably count on one hand how many times, I've turned to this chapter to read and learn. Growing up and hearing stories from Revelations, it felt like it had nothing positive or no good feeling stories of Jesus and his disciples. Like I said, I don't know much about the book and would have to study it more to understand. I am not going to just put this lack of knowledge on myself. I also feel as though my spiritual leaders and current pastor never talk about the chapter.
I remember as the 2000's were rolling around people would talk about it more and more and everyone was worried about the Y2K meltdown. I might not have shared this fear with anybody but it was most certainly real.

I've now reached a point where the lack of knowledge about the chapter is becoming more and more uncomfortable. My young 18 year-old family member died in a car accident this weekend. My boyfriends grandmother had a stroke today. There is a deadly flu called the Swine flu that is sweeping through Mexico and over 40 cases in the US as we speak. My mother called me this morning to convince me not to go to Mexico for my vacation that I have planned for 6 months now. A man jumps off the highway ramp a few highway exits from house. A little boy in my county hangs himself because he couldn't take being bullied at school anymore. He was 11 years old. Multiple families are killed in a major car accident on the other side of town. All this death and gloom is starting to make me face the realities of living here on earth. Death is going to happen and we must learn to deal with it. As I still cry myself to sleep every night after my 25 year old sister was killed two months ago, I wonder if I should read what Revelations has to say. Will this chapter help prepare me for what is going to be in my future and those around me. This pain that I'm feeling is most certainly real but would it hurt less if I knew how to deal with it better?

Does the book of Revelations has the answers i'm looking for? Is God trying to send me a sign?