The original MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) was founded in 1861and is best known for its programs in engineering and the physical sciences. Today, admission is extremely competitive.
I belong to a different MIT. It was founded about ten years ago and is best known for the social and emotional support of its members. Admission is not competitive at all; you just need to be a listener and show up on Tuesday mornings at the local supermarket.
In our case, MIT stands for Martin’s Institute of Therapists. Decoded, Martin’s is the local supermarket where we hold our regular Tuesday meetings at 10 AM. It’s an Institute because we say it is. There is no charter or state recognition of our work. And not one of us has a degree in therapy. Still that is what we do.
We are therapists for each other as we navigate retirement, aging, the aging of our spouses, technology, etc. We listen as one or the other talks about disappointments or challenges large and small. We offer advice, mostly born of our own experiences that can enlighten the one who’s struggling.
We enjoy coffee and laughter together, both mostly regular and not diluted. Which is how we handle our “meetings” too. I wonder if the original MIT does any of this.
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