Life Purpose: Willa’s Story

Willa loved flowers. Her dream was to own a small flower shop where she could enjoy making people happy while selling her blooms. Unfortunately her husband, a critical man, objected and wanted Willa to remain home with him. After ten years of being criticized, Willa, depressed and desperate, decided to seek counseling. After several months of soul searching Willa realized that much of her depression was caused by being constantly criticized by her husband and being held back from living her dream of owning a flower shop. Since her husband refused to go to therapy Willa knew that there was a possibility that she might have to leave the marriage in order to restore her self-esteem and live her dream. As it became more and more clear to Willa that she must do something to give herself a better life, her fear of confronting her husband grew. She was afraid to be on her own and to take the risk of being self-supportive. She felt she was between a rock and a hard place with no where to go. So Willa gave up counseling and resigned herself to her painful marriage thinking that things perhaps would change with time. They didn’t and Willa became increasingly bitter and portrayed the role of helpless victim. Had Willa taken the chance to be brave and confront and/or leave her husband perhaps she would have failed and perhaps she would have succeeded. She never knew.