A Change In Me

"We're having a bunch of people over tomorrow night. You should come!" she said.

Now for an extrovert, hearing those words would bring sweet relief and excitement. But for me, I mostly just cringe. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't love people. It's just that lots of people exhaust me! The idea of spending a perfectly good Saturday evening mingling around in a room of strangers is probably one of the furthest things from my mind. I'd much rather spend a quiet night at home with my best friend watching randomness on television than end up at a big party. After which I feel not only completely drained, but largely unfulfilled by the seemingly meaningless and brief conversations in which I had participated that night.

I've always preferred a few intimate friendships as opposed to a wide variety of acquaintances. Big parties overwhelm me, making new friends is sometimes a challenge, and I certainly don't want to talk with strangers on the phone! For me, friendships simply develop over longer periods of time and it is only after I reach a certain level of sharing where I feel truly connected to the relationship.

But since my move to LA, I've noticed that God has given my introverted self a break and has allowed me to find new energy and revitalization in meeting so many new people! I say God, because there isn't any way that I could possibly make this change happen on my own.

There are pros and cons to being both an introvert AND an extrovert. One is not better than the other. What's important is that people we encounter feel and experience the love of God in and through us. So many times in the past I've allowed my introverted nature to stand in the way of that. And THAT is what I needed to change.

Do I still love a wonderfully relaxed and quiet night at home with my dearest loved ones? Absolutely. Just so long as the stranger I meet on the street feels that same genuine interest and care flowing from my heart as well.