Quick Fix

The other day a friend said to me: "You know what your problem is - you are not self actualized."

It was an epiphany. People have only told me what I need to do, not what is actually wrong. All this time I have taken their advice on what I need to do.

Every morning I jump up, give myself a shake, and pack my bedclothes in the box so I can get moving (though I have had to cut back on the actual number of times I move) put on my girdle, to pull myself together and pull up my socks ( I attach them to garters so I do not have to keep doing this all day).

I look in the bright side of the bathroom mirror (I never can seem to get all the light bulbs working at the same time) and paint a smile on my face - all the while listening to a comedian on the radio to help keep my sense of humour.

These things give me the ":routine" that I apparently needed.

I walk down the street, of course constantly going slower and faster to change my pace, while holding my own hand tightly to keep a grip on myself while I get on with my life.

Now, finally, instead of what I need I am hearing what my problem is " You are not self actualized."

Desperate to hear more wisdom I say to my friend:"Well if I am not self actualized then am I not actually myself? - and if not myself - then who am I? and which one of us is depressed? (I always suspected that I had got the wrong Life)

So I eagerly ask him who this person is that I actually am, and why are they pretending to be me and how do I get myself back? Do I want myself back?" He just shakes his head and walks away. I call to him - "Please do not leave me alone with this stranger, myself". He does not answer.

I think I know what his problem is - he does not actually listen. Does that mean he is not listening actualized? "

Sheila Paxton