Getting to know you......

I made a new friend. 

And I'm pretty sure she already knows exactly who I am. 

I didn't intend it to happen that way but it always does. 

Have you ever tried to reinvent yourself? 

I have. 

When I moved to Kentucky I really wanted to be more mysterious and reserved. 

I guess I just figured if people have to work a little I get to know you then maybe you become more of a prize. 

I've always been easy. 

I wear who am on my sleeve. 

And to make matters worse when I get nervous I tend to error on the obnoxious side. 

It's much nicer when nervous translates to quietness. 

So I tried the whole mysteriously interesting thing.... I think I lasted 10 min. 

It's my social curse. 

When I feel something I want to share it. 

When I like someone I want to tell them. 

When a particular tree speaks to me I can't help but share every passionate feeling I've ever had in the entire world about this magnificent earth. 

It overcomes me. 

"We do not want merely to see beauty, we want to be united with the beauty, to pass into it, to become part of it."

C.S Lewis

I feel that so deeply in my soul that it explodes out of me. 

Usually through my mouth. 

It can come across a little crazy

But it's just passion.....poorly controlled. 

Last week we had dinner with some new friends up at spooner summit. I was feeling it big time. The trees dwarfed us, they smelled like heaven and the forest floor was soft and inviting. 

Ben is used to me. He lets me purge every sigh and cry of delight and desire to describe to him what it is we are seeing just in case he somehow went blind in the last few minutes. 

It doesn't phase him. 

Anyway the mountain made me giddy. 

The new friends were interesting and kind. 

I liked them. 

I wanted them to like me. 

I felt nervous. 

Before I knew it I told the boob story. 

Why oh why did I tell the boob story?? 

It was too soon. 

Too late I remembered to be reserved and mysterious. 

I looked at Ben, he has that Schtick down pat. 

Cool and collected. 

The thing I've come to realize is that it doesn't matter. 

I am who I am. 

Sure I can work on taking it down a notch. And believe me I am. 

But at the end of the day the secret to friendship is sincereity. 

People want people in their lives who are sincere. 

I have dear friends of all personality types with one thing in common. They are all sincere in who they are. 

They genuinely want good things for me as much as for themselves. 

That is a rare gift. 

True friendship lifts and has no time for judgments that serve only to push down another to gain higher ground for oneself. 

A true friend understands quirks and bad days and mistakes. 

A true friend looks past the creepy boob stories and sees the heart behind it. 

Heaven knows I've been blessed to find such friendships wherever I have gone. 

I'm particularly thankful. 

I hope to be one.