Psychoanalysis

I sure hope I spelled that correctly but I'm too lazy to look it up in the dictionary. Anyway, I went out for dinner with 4 friends and we spent part of the time trying to psychoanalyze one of our difficult residents here in the park.

Everyone had had different experiences with this person, usually bad, but we all seemed to know exactly how to read him. What none of us understood was why a person who dearly wants to be loved and appreciated can be so utterly stupid in the ways they try to impress.

This person seems to have no idea how a human being should behave. I get the feeling they are acting a part when in company, playing the role they think is suitable to the occasion. It's sad to watch but interesting from a psychological point of view.

I've never known anyone like this before but maybe this person is no different from any other jerk, just a poorer actor. It's the jerks that are great actors and able to fool you that you need to look out for. When they're easier to spot, you learn quicker to steer clear of them.

One of the ladies in our group at dinner is also very interesting. She lives her life for god and is one of the most thoroughly religious people I've ever met. She wrote a book describing some of the miracles that have taken place in her life and that book gave me great insight into her way of thinking. I told her today that I envy her strong belief and the comfort it provides her but I can't feel the same way. I continue to struggle with the meaning of life.

A couple of lady friends dropped by in the early evening and we had a great time discussing the framework of a marriage. Each of us had been married at the age of 17 and stayed in the marriage for the duration. Where mine had been a stormy one, theirs had been pretty good but we didn't know why we'd failed or succeeded. I guess sometimes it's just that the right people with the right personalities met and fell in love with each other. It isn't easy to psychoanalyze a marriage. You can pick out obvious flaws and good points but to analyze the whole is close to impossible.

Well, I spent a good part of my day dissecting people and marriages. Interesting, but time to vegetate in front of the T.V. now.