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At 18, Mirijam moves overseas after having spent her entire life in the same town. Despite not wanting to leave her friends, Mirijam makes the move to achieve greater independence and explore her new sense of self.
In Erickson's stage, "Identity versus Confusion" Mirijam gains a sense of the complexity of life and there is a merging of sensory, logical, and aesthetic perception. Conscious of the obstacles that she will face, Mirijam has reservations about leaving behind her hometown. Mirijam knows that moving to a new city will allow her to attend university and she wants to develop her knowledge and perception of the world. -
At 24, Jack proposes to Mirijam and she became his fiancée.
Having spent the last few years together, the couple are ready to start the next phase of their lives and have a shared sense of intimacy and resources. In this stage, "Intimacy versus Isolation", the couple understand each other's identities and values, and have developed a mutual sense of trust. The crisis in this stage is that the couple are still relatively young and feel like they might lose an aspect of their identity and might not be able to embark on new adventures as in youth. -
At age 50, Mirijam joins the Peace Corps and embarks for two years of service in Malawi.
Having been married for many years and having raised her small family, Mirijiam has been feeling a sense of stagnation and has a renewed sense of adventure. In this stage, "Generativity versus Stagnation", Mirijam feels a need to care for others, and feels affected by the photos of young children at an orphanage in Malawi that she has seen in her local newspaper. Mirijam is agape at the lack of concern in her local community, and is determined to make a difference.
