i must be such an irritating patient

Therapist: So what would you say to the 16 year old you, if she was sat beside you?
Me: Well, if she was - if I could say something to her, then I wouldn't be here-
Therapist: You mean-
Me: I mean that if we're talking time travel, any little thing affects all future outcomes. Didn't you ever see 'The Butterfly Effect'??*
Therapist: Well-
Me: -If I could see and talk to the 16 year old me, whatever I did or said would affect everything else, y'know? Like maybe I did flunk out of school in year 12 instead of being yelled at and warned by all my teachers - maybe I wouldn't've gone to university - or not gone where I did, or not made the friends I did - I wouldn't have gotten the jobs I got when I moved back to London after that - or met the people I met - I might not have come to New York, I wouldn't be sat here-
Therapist: Right. But if you could talk to the 16 year old you without any of this-
Me: But - you can't! Really, didn't you ever watch The Butterfly Effect?!** The tiniest thing changes everything!!

Therapist gives up with an exasperated sigh.

I make avoiding talking about things an art form. I wonder if there are medals for this kind of thing??

* Okay, I didn't really say that.
** Seriously. I wasn't really invoking bad Ashton Kutcher movies. It's called poetic license.