Penelope, The Woman Who Waited Forever for Odysseus

Sometimes, we idealize a situation that will probably never happen. We wait and wait for a dream that will never come true.

Have you ever heard the story of Penelope and Odysseus?

Do you know of women who wait around? You know: the woman who sacrifices her time waiting for someone or something who she doesn’t know will choose her or not.

If you know a woman like that, you can call her Penelope.

Penelope was Odysseus’ wife in Greek mythology. When he left and spent long periods away from home, Penelope waited for him, faithful and hopeful.
Read: 5 Behaviors that Predict Failure in a Relationship

Ulysses had several love affairs. During his last absence, he didn’t return. However, Penelope continued to be a loving wife, always waiting for the arrival of her beloved.

That Woman Who is Waiting for a Ghost

Many people can relate to Penelope and her story today. People can relate to this woman who waits and sacrifices her life and the experiences she can have for a person who is actually a ghost.

What kind of situation can lead to this?

• Couples who have had to separate due to their work. One partner travels to another country and they stay in touch. However, the promises of being physically together never materialize.
• Women who have sex with married men who swear that they’re going to leave their partners, but never do. Thus, they wait and wait for many years, or maybe for all their lives.
• People who have started a long distance relationship or fell in love through social media but, despite how hard they try, something always comes up and they never actually meet.
• Situations where the other person doesn’t want a serious relationship at the moment, a circumstance that seems will end someday but never does.
• Circumstances in which your partner disappears without saying anything. He or she vanishes into thin air and is impossible to reach. These are known as “unfinished endings.”

Discover: The Psychological Cost of Giving Everything in a Relationship

As you can see, these situations occur and the woman who’s waiting doesn’t realize she’s wasting her time and her life for someone who’s only going to bring her sadness.

Why People Enjoy The Wait

One might think that a woman who’s waiting for something she’ll never have loves to suffer, loves the drama, or likes to immerse herself in complicated situations. However, it goes beyond that.

Waiting for a loved one is very sweet and dedicated. It’s not easy to let that person go.

What makes you cling to the wait?

Hope and wishful thinking.

It’s all about those beautiful things that you’ve created in your mind. It’s the dream fueled with hope, expectation, belief, and other thoughts that she herself created.

Expectations are very tempting. They dominate every phase of infatuation and the phases that come after it. However, they are of our own making.

Read: The Danger of High Expectations

Your Emotions Speak To You: Give Them a Voice

The emotions of a woman who’s waiting speak to her, but she decides to turn a deaf ear to what they’re telling her.

This way, she stays in the situation that she has created in her mind instead of doing what’s best for her.

We must ask ourselves this question: Is this worth it?

The end is right around the corner.

How can you wait 10 years for that person who says they will leave their wife or husband? How can we allow ourselves to be with someone who doesn’t take steps to formalize the relationship for 5 years?

If you expect people to be honest and speak their minds, you’ll be waiting forever. Unfortunately, these things just don’t happen.

The woman who’s waiting is losing precious  time she’ll never get back. Is it worth it? Only she has the answer to that…

Before you go, don’t miss: What is the Best Way to Find a Stable Relationship?