The Pieces

"The Self might be thought of as the archetype of wholeness, and its intention is to restore wholeness to the human psyche which has been so fragmented

 - even through means which may appear to be at first destructive."

The Dream of the Cosmos, a Quest for the Soul

Anne Baring

I met for supper with three other women last week.

One of the women has twice survived breast cancer 

and chemo.

Last year her husband said he wanted to downsize 

so they sold their house.  About three months ago 

he told her he wanted a divorce.

Her children are grown up and gone.

She doesn't feel capable of going back to work as an 

EA at a local school in September.

She went through a celebratory 'glad to be rid of 

him' time of lavish spending on herself. But last 

week the bravado was gone. 

She sees that there is no husband, no family, no 

money. Just fragments of a life scattered around her 

like broken glass.

Her depression is absolute.

I feel for her.

But it is only when you are in pieces that the

process of becoming whole can begin.