About Being Shy

I put this topic on my list a while back, after either hearing someone talk (or write) about how they were shy when they were younger, but are much more outgoing now.    I had a long conversation about shyness with neighbor during one of our long runs.    She has said to me many time that she’s shy.   I’ve told her equally many time I don’t see it. 

Now granted, I do understand where she is coming from.   She is shy, or at least feels shy, in certain situations.    She doesn’t enjoy walking into a room of strangers and engaging in conversation.    She is though a physician who interacts with patients, co-workers, neighbors and friends each day and she handles those interactions with confidence, caring and ease.      But that doesn’t mean she’s not shy, and although I don’t see it on a daily basis, I do understand what she means. 

We’ve run races together.   I have a tendency to suddenly engage random people about something or other while we run.   And while she will happily initiate and say a cheery “hello,” she isn’t inclined to start a conversation.

Our discussion got me thinking about how I’m shy.   And for those that know me who are thinking, “hold the phone, you can’t be serious, because you’re just not shy—at all.”  I would almost unilaterally agree in that in most all situations, I’m not shy.   I’m confident enough to walk into most any room and have no difficulty walking up to a group and joining into the conversation.     But that doesn’t mean I don’t understand shyness.

When I was younger, I was more shy, or at least shy in more situations.   Is that what happens to us as we grow older and more perspective on life?

The Big Boy Update:  My son played some sort of pillow/tickle fight with his uncle Eric and cousin Nicole today.   I say back and watched for over ten minutes, just laughing at the fun the three of them were having.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My daughter helped her cousin Nicole practice her tennis serves tonight.   She collected the balls and brought them back to her to serve again.   My son was less helpful: he just collected and hoarded the balls.

Fitness Update:  I ran the Insane Inflatables Atlantic City 5K today.   I came in third.   Not third place, third across the finish line.   I started in the first wave on the front row and a lot of people were walking the race.   It was lots of fun, although the high grass was rough to run on.   Afterwards I helped out in the Kona Ice truck until lunch.