directions

Within her limited circle of friends, there are a few people who, from time to time, confront my female owner on her issues. I use the word “confront” because that is exactly what they do. They see a problem and they bring it to her attention directly without being euphemistic. Sometimes, she does not even know what her issues are until they start. When she tries to escape or divert the topic, they tell her straightaway to stay the course.

Tonight was another one of those (unexpected) times. This time, it came in the form of her Functional Fren. The MSN conversation started innocently with “how have you been?” She probably pressed his button when she started to say that the life she is living now is like a form of escapism for her. That she will be confronted with the harsh reality in two years time, with no career or savings or direction in life, and the only medal to her name is the title Dr.

Functional Fren then proposed that it was not that my female owner had no directions in life. It was more that she refused to receive directions. That got my female owner confused and she asked for clarifications. It came fast and strong, in the form of questions:

• how are u taking the fact that u are getting ur Doctorate?
• how do u feel about u not having much family obligations ( as compared to me) and leave singapore to pursue ur studies
• how do u feel about you actually the only one following the psych path as compared to your frens here in singapore
• how do u feel abt given the opportunity to study in UQ and best part of it.,. excelling in ur studies
• the thing is.. u need to be contented with all the blessed things u are given with.. and how u want to return God's favour..
• all ur frens here have been giving u the support that u need.. but u kept thinking u CMI..
  so isnt that refusal to receive directions in life?

Confronting but necessary. The conversation then steered towards other pertinent issues that he saw as a “big bloody baggage”. Cyber CBT. My female owner reckons that she needs therapy in addition to counselling...