My next blog article is going to follow a different format than the others, as it is based one of my reader’s personal challenges vs one of Meylyne’s challenges. In my last blog article, I showed you how my three personas (Francesca, Eva and Kathryn) viewed Meylyne’s inner conflict around confronting the Thorn Queen. In this article, I’ll show you how Francesca, Eva and Kathryn view my reader’s conflict involving one of her best friends.

Dear Francevka,

 I have a very close friend. We’ve known each other for years and we’ve always hung out together a lot but lately it seems like we don’t want to do the same things. Then, when we’re with other people, I feel like she treats them better than me. Because of all this, I don’t want to spend as much time with her, but then I feel bad because she gets upset. What should I do?

 Love,

 Hannah (not her real name)

Francesca; That sounds conflicting. I’m sorry you’re going through this! Have you tried talking to her about how you feel? With regards to you two not wanting to do the same things any more, there may be some middle-ground areas than you haven’t explored yet. As for her treating others better than you, she may just be getting back at you if she senses that you’re pulling away from her. I think would be good for you two to talk about this.

Kathryn; I think it would be good for her to make new friends. She’s allowed to move on, you know.

Eva; Of course she’s allowed to move on, but we don’t live in a disposable world, Kathryn. You should try to fix something before you throw it away!

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In the last blog article, I talked about the importance of tolerating ambiguity. Personally, I’ve always found it quite easy to accept multiple viewpoints—perhaps because I have three different personas living inside me, influencing my thoughts! Personas are aspects of your personality. I have named mine Francesca, Eva and Kathryn, and in this next blog article, I am going to show you how these three view a situation that Meylyne faces in chapter 18.

In chapter 18, Meylyne insists on confronting the Thorn Queen by herself. The reason she gives her friends for this is more complicated than she lets on. If Meylyne wrote to my three personas (whom I’ve clumped together under the name “Francevka”) to discuss this, here’s how the conversation would go;

Dear Francevka,

I have so many doubts about my decision to confront the Thorn Queen by myself. What I said is true— I am afraid that if I try to invisiblize my friends, I won’t be able to un-invisiblize them. Plus they can’t do sorcery so they’ll be in more danger than I will. But deep down, the main reason I want to go by myself is that I just want to do it my way. If my friends come, they might take over and tell me what to do, just like people have done my whole life. What if I’m the only one that can get this right? (Other than my mother, that is.) On the other hand, I’m scared and I want my friends with me. What should I do?

Love,

Meylyne

Francesca; It’s understandable that you’d want your friends with you at a time like this—and it’s an opportunity to open up and let them help you…

Kathryn; Oh, please. And get themselves killed? She has to do it by herself. She’s right—she’s the only one that can get this right!

Eva; Stop bossing everyone around, Kathryn. I happen to agree with you—it would be easiest to do it by herself—but you don’t know everything, you know. And maybe Meylyne wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed if she trusted others to help her. You are such a control freak.

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