This article was downloaded by: [Universitat Politècnica de València]On: 27 October 2014, At: 02:11Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH,UK

International Journal ofPsychoanalytic Self PsychologyPublication details, including instructions forauthors and subscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/hpsp20

FallingJoye Weisel-Barth Ph.D. and Psy.D. aa Institute of Contemporary Psychoanalysis , LosAngelesPublished online: 04 Oct 2010.

To cite this article: Joye Weisel-Barth Ph.D. and Psy.D. (2010) Falling,International Journal of Psychoanalytic Self Psychology, 5:4, 489-490, DOI:10.1080/15551024.2010.508213

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15551024.2010.508213

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Falling

Joye Weisel-Barth, Ph.D., Psy.D.

I’ve been thinking about my ageand a lot about falling.Not falling as in breaking my hip yet, please,but falling as in my former solid fleshis soft and falling away from my bones.And every body thing—face, knee,breast, ass—is falling into gravitybefore, I guess, it falls into the grave.

Trusted ways and solid ground also shakeat times and tremble underfoot; my stepshave fallen into cautious consciousness.I am wary—a bit like mother: not dead,I mean, but wobbly and afraid to fall.And former certainties—like truth, perfection,faultless love—also quake and fall,the way of fragile things on shaky ground.

Yet, on the whole the aging news is goodand funny, too, as illusion veilsfall away—I sure don’t mean the bridal kinds!I mean the veils that keep us blind and boundlike “I will raise the perfect child”;

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International Journal of Psychoanalytic Self Psychology, 5:489–490, 2010Copyright © The International Association for Psychoanalytic Self PsychologyISSN: 1555-1024 print / 1940-9141 onlineDOI: 10.1080/15551024.2010.508213

Dr. Weisel-Barth is Senior Training Analyst, Supervisor, and Instructor, Institute of Con-temporary Psychoanalysis, Los Angeles; and Book Review Editor, International Journal of Psy-choanalytic Self Psychology.

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“Beauty is truth, and so is being thin.”“I will always get it up and always care”;“Later there will be lots of time for us.”

So, falling into age yields some relieflike weekend sweats and comfy tennis shoesafter panty hose and chafing clothes.I hope that ageing brings more looseninglike this and climbs—before I fail—on hilly pathswith cuts—both short and long—and dallying,my dogs along, just to look and be—whole and free before the final fall.

Joye Weisel-Barth, Ph.D., Psy.D.4826 Andasol Ave.Encino, CA 91316818–986–4098dr.joye@sbcglobal.net

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