2
"Know what?" asked Director.
"I no longer believe."
"In your old self-image?"
Friend nodded.
"Suppose they sense that something has changed. Do think they can see right through into your mind to know exactly what it is that has changed?"
Friend shrugged.
"People can't read minds, Friend. So what if they see you have changed? People change."
"I won't have any confidence to interact with them. All of my confidence used to come from my self-image." Friend looked up. "I need a new self-image, don't I?" When Director didn't answer right away, he asked: "How do I get one?"
"How did you get the one you had before?"
"I had something to believe in."
"Do you want to build one like you had before?"
Friend looked at Director a long while. "That one didn't work out so well."
"What else can you build on?"
"Knowledge, I suppose."
"You don't sound very inspired."
"A funny thing to say to someone who is suicidal."
"What problem do you see?"
"I think a new self-image will take a long time to build. And I don't know how I can live in the meantime, while it is under construction, unless I have something to believe in."
-------
Nick Pappas, pappasnick.typepad.com
Comments