My wife and I went out for dinner and groceries tonight. She started opening up to me regarding the turmoil she has been struggling with. She told me how her plan was to "be away from here" for her birthday. (her 50th) When clearing her vacation time with her manager, a woman a couple of years older than her, she made comments regarding aging, and the shortness of life. She said that her boss "gets it".

She then explained to me in relative numbers, just how little time she felt she had left to live. "In 20 years, I'll be 70!" "That's less time than I've been at my job!"
Also: "If I live as long as my Mom, that's less time than you and I have been together."

My instinct used to be to try to put a positive spin on things... you know, try to cheer her up by telling her things aren't as dire as they seem. But you know what? THAT DOESN"T WORK! So instead I just listened, validated and asked questions.

Then I actually got a taste of what it feels like to be told how you should feel, and I too didn't like it. She said that she knows everything I've done, and that she can't believe that I'm satisfied, and don't want something more out of life. I said "I've been thinking about a lot of things."

One of her final comments on the matter sized her feelings up the best. "I'm arriving late to the party, what am I going to do about it?

M: A really long time.
Crisis: 5 years.
She's still worth it.

Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose. -Viktor Frankl