Social achievements, expansion of spheres of control and social circle are the tasks of the first half of life. The second part is given to us in order to collect what was scattered and not taken into account in the running around of the first half. Contemplating your life on the cinema screen is a good metaphor for the second half of life.
“There is no feeling of reality of what is happening. I used to try to keep everything under control, with an “iron fist”. It took a lot of time and effort… Everything was in a hurry somewhere, faster, even faster… I have been practicing yoga for three years already. I think that I do this only to keep in shape, but, apparently, it sucks. Now I just want to live. It is NOW, it is TODAY. I’ll think about tomorrow tomorrow. If I don’t have time to do something, well, okay … This is a new and strange feeling. It’s not me. I am like a spectator in a cinema, or maybe like a director? I myself invent a play, introduce new characters into it. They do and say things. And I sit and watch, and somehow I don’t really care about all this … Is this normal? Maybe my roof is going? But it’s so nice after so many years of running around. And the chair is so soft… PS Actually, everything is fine with me: a loving husband, son, work. I’m a doctor. Good doctor, patients love me. But it would be better if I became a biologist … “
Almira, 43
Read more:
- Meanings of life
Konstantin Slepak, psychologist, psychoanalyst, psychotherapist:
“You seem to be fine. It is normal to enjoy not only running around and achieving, but also sitting in a chair, as well as contemplating oneself sitting in a chair. Social achievements, the expansion of spheres of control and the circle of communication are the tasks of the first half of life, and the second part is given for a completely different thing – in order to collect what was scattered and not taken into account in the running around of the first half. In order to feel ourselves from the inside and learn to recognize ourselves not by achievements and results, but by the light that we feel in ourselves, by feelings and psychological reflection. To do this, it is important to stop and sit comfortably in a comfortable chair. I think contemplating your life on the cinema screen is a good metaphor for the second half of life. It seems to me that there is a lot of calmness and confidence from feeling rooted in life. Perhaps you will remain in this state, or perhaps you will soon run further – this is not known. But it seems that you have become acquainted with another state of being and, if necessary, will be able to return to it.”