thoughts from the quiet girl

Those who know me best know I'm not always quiet. But I often am. Especially in a crowd.

And even more especially with a group of strangers I'm supposed to suddenly connect with on some deep level.

Then I'm definitely the quiet one.

There are a lot of reasons why---some I'm aware of and some I'm not able to see clearly just yet. I know underlying most of them is the trust factor.

I strongly value trust and trustworthiness. So situations where I'm supposed to open up to people I don't yet trust---forced sharing, if you will---make me largely uncomfortable.

I was in a situation like that a few days ago. People all around me were sharing freely, and I just kept thinking, "I'm not built that way." I didn't say very much, and while I was okay with my reservedness, I found myself wondering what it made the others think.

I fear that my quietness makes people assume things about me which are not only unintended but also inaccurate. I'm afraid I might come across as arrogant, stuffy, or annoyed.

(Feeling misunderstood is one of the worst things for me.)

So I'd love your honest input:

What assumptions do you make about the quiet person in a group?

[Feel free to comment anonymously if you can be more honest that way.]

housekeeping!

I've been on vacation for almost a week. Well, kind of. Being with my sweet friend Tracee felt like a vacation; the fact that we were in Ohio did not. (No offense, Ohioans. I'm guessing that even you'd prefer to vacate out of state!)

We talked about everything and nothing, and anything in between. And we set the bar high on doing absolutely nothing and enjoying every minute of it.

This much I know is true: Tracee is good for me.

And now I miss her. (Again.)

Vacation is over. Back to real life...

What's been the highlight of the past week for you?

extreme makeover: alece edition

The last time Cathi saw me, I really wasn't lookin' my best. It's amazing how many pounds her video camera took off me this time.

If you could professionally alter, shrink, or augment any part of yourself, what would it be?

so different, yet so similar

At our first reunion, I discovered I have more in common with Cathi than I ever would've imagined. That was reinforced even more this week.

Now if only I could remember what our similarities actually are...

Wow. I wish I could speak whale.

just what i needed

Yesterday felt like a long exhale. It felt like a warm blanket. And the first day of spring. I spent over nine hours with a wonderful friend. She's a friend I can be talkative with and also sit in comfortable silence with. And we did plenty of both. She held my hand as we shared hearts, and made me feel completely loved when she hugged me.

And the best part was: We laughed till we cried. And then we laughed some more.

If the still-shots don't prove it, maybe this will:

As I drove home at the end of my perfect day, my mind settled on one thought: My heart feels strengthened.

It was just what I needed.