I wouldn't consider myself a "quiet" person...I am energized by people, by being around people, by talking with people....goodness, I get energized just TALKING in general...my girls will be listening to music in the car and ask, "Mommy, are you talking to yourself again?"...yes, I am one that will have conversations with myself if noone else is around to listen...I think I once told someone that my dream job was to be a sought after public speaker that would talk to captive audiences of thousands...
All that said though, I really do want to have that quiet, gentle spirit...I learned what that was in college...I had a roommate who had it and I thought that I needed to calm myself down in order to "get one"...after a week of walking around being somber & aloof, my roommate finally confronted me and asked me what in the world I was doing...I'm still not quite sure how she answered with a straight face once I described my dilemma and how I was going about solving it...
Having a quiet spirit comes from the inside, not your personality on the outside...BUT...I will say that I think that those that are more introverted, introspective...yes, I might venture to say that they may have an easier time in being in tune with it...
My girls are so very different than me, personality-wise...I don't always understand it...it used to frustrate me because I so wanted to have all the answers for them...but over the few years that they have grown, I have grown too...and grown to LOVE those differences and can see the potential for them as well...
My middle child had a ballet recital today...you understand that if it were me on stage, I'd be ALL over the place...trying to get as many smiles and as much applause as I could...not so much for my little E...Bless her heart, she stayed up there the entire time...but she just STOOD there...in the past I would have been frustrated, wracking my brain trying to think of what I had done wrong and how do I get her to do her part...not any more...
I hugged her to pieces and told her how proud I was of her when the music finally stopped and she walked over to my lap. She's not a performer, she doesn't seek approval from anyone but Mommy & Daddy right now...and she won't people-please just to get applause or attention...(don't get me wrong, she's definitely rambunctious...but mostly just at home or when she feels safe) She said, "But Mommy, I didn't do anything...why are you proud of me?" My heart just swelled, "Because sweetheart, I love you no matter what you do or don't do...I love you just because you are mine!"
What an opportunity to show her love...if she were always performing or wanting to be out front, I think it would be harder for her to relate (as I had trouble) to just loving because. It amazes me the insight my little girls already have about God and his adoration of them...I don't think they struggle just yet with hearing him speak...now if Mommy could quit talking to herself and settle in the quiet once in awhile...hmmmmm...lessons I can learn from my children!
BEFORE
DURING
The turkey cookies we made for a snack...they were a big hit...good thing we saved 2 at home...by the time the girls got to the snack table, they were gone!!!
