“Hi” said Bette

“Hello…”

“Your session with Lisa ended early today,” the brunette said as she sat on the chair beside the hazel-eyed beauty. She then gave the cup of coffee to the blonde

“Thanks” the blonde said as she looked at the black liquid in the cup

The blonde seemed to be a little quiet this time and Bette thought that maybe it was because of what she and the doctor had talked about

“Are you okay?” asked the brunette

“No… but I will be”

Silence

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“I do… but not now… I hope it’s okay”

“You know you can tell me anything when you are ready”

“Thanks Bette”

“You’re welcome”

Silence

“Bette?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think people can change?”

“Yes I do”

“Why?”

“Because I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they’re right, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together. Believing that we can’t change encourages us to accept our weaknesses and never aim for growth. Saying people can’t change is the same as saying people can’t learn. When you learn something new that knowledge fundamentally changes you”

“What if that person wants to change yet the sins of her past keeps on haunting her making it almost impossible for that person to move forward? Do you think there’s chance?”  

“I’d say just keep on going and keep on trying. Circumstance and hardship lead many good people to do foolish things. To say those mistakes are irredeemable is hypocritical. If the world considered only our most depraved moments, then how would they judge us? The saying “people don’t change” is harmful because it denies the possibility of redemption. There is something profound about the redeemed. The man who’s experienced the lowest rung of existence and conquered her personal demons has an empathy that’s lacking in more saintly people. Whatever it was that happened in our fast, to move forward we have to learn to acknowledge and to accept everything that had happened because if we don’t then we will be forever stuck in the moment. If we control anything, we control our own thoughts and behavior. If we can improve anything, it should be ourselves”