As many women in America and the world, I am a fan of Oprah Winfrey. I must admit that I do not agree with everything she says, although her audience will never give up that poker face of "anything you say Oprah, you are Queen." Don't get confused by the side remark, this is not a piece on the Oprah Rebellion; I will be sitting on her leather chair one day at Harpo Studios, so I dare not burn my bridge before I hammer in the first nail. I digress...
I actually had an "A HA!" moment while watching one of her shows with Dr. Harville Hendrix, a psychologist and relationship expert. For those of you who may not know, I am the LAST person to need relationship advice since I am not in one, haven't been in one for quite some time, and don't see one in my foreseeable future. But I have come to the conclusion that theories are just that, and once enmeshed with reality, they take on a whole new meaning. The Imago theory is based on the belief that, in relationships, we are attracted to those who force us to confront our past experiences. As soon as the words left his lips it was as if I had flashbacks of every person I've ever met, not just boyfriends (or in my case, boyNOTfriends). If you are in a relationship, whether you are on cloud 9 or in the dumps, this theory will help you see why the person you love so dearly (or hate) was brought into your life. Now its up to you to confront what you couldn't in your youth.
Now, let's apply this same theory to anyone we meet, not just a boyfriend or girlfriend, but your best friend, your pal, your neighbor, the stranger you encountered and thought, what the *%&^ just happened? I have always believed that people we meet are not by sheer coincidence. We all possess an invisible energy, and people are drawn to it for whatever reason, whether to love you or hate you. This is why the theory is so important. There is so much we can find out about ourselves by looking at the people surrounding us. If this theory could ever be proven scientifically true, I suspect no one will ever truly know their full self until the final hour: only then have you experienced the ultimate imago theory that will allow you to look at your past, even if it was yesterday, to see your true existence.
Thought: I wonder if I named my own theory years ago would I have been on Oprah's stage instead of Dr. Hendrix?
