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Monday, February 28, 2011

Monday Moments {On Housemates, Goals, and Talking}

Marsh and I are completely different from each other. On the surface, I love to read and she would rather watch a movie; She is crafty and makes some really neat projects, while I am not learning. She is short...I'm tall compared to her :). I love to work in the kitchen...she is learning to navigate her way around. She has straight brown hair, and I have wild curls that I attempt to control.

When she mentioned the other day that one of her goals {when she came up to the Great Northwoods as a teacher} was to be quiet--I laughed. Not because she can't be quiet, but because one of MY goals when I came up here was to be outgoing, vivacious, talkative....you get my drift.

That's why I love new beginnings. In specific, I love going to new places where I have no ties and meeting new people who have no foreknowledge of who I am. It is not because I have anything to hide, neither is it because I am a "social butterfly".  The number one reason is because I want to do more than just smile at people. I want to actually initiate conversations and be able to carry them.

I am by nature a shy person. My Mum tells me that I was quite the socialite when I was young, so I don't know when I started being a quiet, stand in the background type of gal, but that's how I would categorize myself now. I love and would rather listen to other people talk; it's only when they look at me and expect an answer or contribution to the conversation that I get nervous.

*Obviously this is not the case with my close friends who will tell you a different story ;)*

One of my goals when I went to college was to break out of my "shy" shell. Although it took me basically all four years, I was able to warm up to the people around me and make lasting friendships.

Anyway, when I came to teach up here in the Northwoods, I prepared myself. I was going to initiate conversations. I would greet new visitors and be solicitous with our own members. I would not "hide" from people; I would do more than smile.

Alas, I find myself the same as ever: Nodding and smiling to those around me.

And so, I find it completely ironic that both Marsh and I are completely different from each other...and that both of us had lofty plans of breaking the mold that held us bound to our said personalities. If anything, we have respectively been able to compromise and sometimes be that *person* we had such lofty goals for.

Our only hope? Move somewhere else!

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