Introvert or extrovert? Or something like that.

It's not an exclusive thing, but I do tend to fall more toward the introvert: social interaction takes energy for me. Sometimes it's worth it-- I do enjoy Sunday morning worship and coffee hour, for example, or going out with friends. But such activities can also leave me exhausted and wanting nothing so much as a nap.

More and more, I'm aware of how this understanding effects both how I see the world, and how I react to it. One thig I've learned is that it's not an either/or situation; it's a spectrum. And where I fall on that spectrum can vary.

Like an extrovert, I do sometimes need to "process out loud," but I do so more selectively than many extroverts will. I need to know somebody pretty well before I'll share anything. . . well, anything beyond surface conversation. And even then it's not always easy to open those "doubts and fears" places, or things that weigh upon my heart. Of course, another part of the reason is that the folks I care about and trust enough to really confide in, are also the last people I want to cause concern. I tend to figure they have enough on their plates without fussing over me as well.

That being said, I give thanks to God for those generous, loving, benighted souls who put up with me when I'm not at my perky, confident best, and who are willing-- however far-flung we may be from one another at any given time-- to take the time to listen, when I need them.

Thank you.