I Could Have Been a Contender

My office looks pretty much like every office in every shrink movie you’ve ever seen: black leather couch that sits across from a black swivel chair. You sit or lie on the couch, and I swivel back and forth with a perplexed look, trying to decide what would be the best guidance I can provide you. I believe sometimes in life our best jobs choose us. This is what happened to me. I somehow know exactly the right advice to provide at exactly the right moment each and every time – that is until yesterday. A simply beautiful and enchanting 60 – year – old woman sat on my couch and described with longing in her voice, all the things she could have been.
I assumed she had a terminal illness, and her days were numbered. This assumption was incorrect. She was physically well but had mentally checked out. She had resigned herself to giving up her dreams and giving into everybody else. She was squandering her days living in the past, thinking about what might have been.
Normally, I would have been outraged. Excitedly, I would have swiveled my chair around and told her to become a deliberate creator...”it’s never too late”! I would have screamed. I may even have even grabbed her shoulders, slightly shaking her, in an attempt to jolt her back to life.
Instead, I sat quietly, wondering what it must be like to see no light at the end of the tunnel and really only wanting sympathy. She was choosing to be a victim with her eyes wide open. She wanted to wallow in self pity and rationalize why she was purposefully becoming invisible.

What would you say to her now, at this moment, assume you were me and please share your thoughts.

The Happiness Project