Athanasia needs frequent social contact.

If it were up to Themis, he would never have people over to his house and would never accept invitations to others'. He would like to stay home every evening and read, putt around with various projects with his tools or watch TV with the family. He never liked social contact. He never could engage in small talk. He didn't know what to say. People usually talked about meaningless subjects. He would rather do something with his hands, be in his comfortable clothes and not have to talk about who is successful and who is not; who is doing what etc?

Athanasia is a social being. She thrives on discussing and sharing with her friends. She likes variety and gets bored in the house all day long. One factor is that she does not work outside the house as much as Themis does. He gets his share of people and communication through his work and just wants to rest when he gets home.

Athanasia has been alone all morning and with the children from the hour they arrive home. She wants to get out and have people over. She is angry that Themis does not understand this, and does not respect her needs. Themis loves her and would like to respond to her needs, but social contact is painful and simultaneously boring and anxiety producing for him.

He occasionally gives in for her sake, but not nearly as much as she would like. Both feel injustice as neither is getting what he or she wants. At times Athanasia's tensions mount and she cries and occasionally shouts hysterically that he does not love her and that she is going crazy in that house. He, feeling guilty, tries to calm her and about once every four months starts shouting and playing a mixture of victim and intimidator.

Each blames the other for his or her problem. Themis, however, feels more guilty as he sees himself as somewhat abnormal in comparison with the norm. He understands her needs but is powerless to respond more that the occasional complying when he sees that she is approaching her limits.

What can he do? What can both of them do? What do they need to learn?

Themis: Could he need to learn some of the following lessons: To realize that he not married to her by chance, but that she is exactly what he needs to learn his next lesson? That his self-worth does not depend on what others think about him or say about him or how they behave towards him? That he is not in danger from the others? That they will not harm him? To free himself from past experiences in which he felt harmed, abused, rejected, criticized or done injustice to by others? To develop a more positive opinion of himself and his abilities and his self-worth? That he is God's child, an immortal soul in the process of evolution and has the same power and the same value of any other being? To express himself more dynamically? To develop more love and closeness to others? To see the others as manifestations of the one God? To have faith in the Divine Plan that nothing will ever happen to him which is not within that plan which has his best spiritual interests always in mind? To learn to see the beauty in each person and connect to that? To realize that he can learn as much from people, as he can from books? To see each person as his brother or sister? To be able to make more sacrifices for Athanasia's sake?

Athanasia: Could she on the other hand need to learn some of the following lessons: To develop interests or creative activities which she can partake in alone at home? To develop an interest in spiritual growth, prayer, meditation etc.? To understand Themis problem and not pressure him? To go out by herself and not be limited to going out only when he is in the mood (perhaps he will follow)? To learn to be more satisfied from with? To participate with Themis in those activities which he enjoys at home? To express her needs in a calmer and clearer way without accusing or blaming Themis? To realize that she not married to him by chance, but that he is exactly what she needs to learn her next lesson?

With a little self analysis, honest communication and desire to solve the problem they will find solutions.