Can We Talk?

I like the idea of a blog. Most of those I read regularly provide some insight to the person who wrote it. I’ve learned to smile with them, pray for them, and somehow share in their disappointments.

But I also have a minor problem. While I consider myself to be gregarious, I am also a bit of an introvert when it comes to sharing my private life.

Back in the “I’m OK, You’re OK” era of the seventies, companies were giving various types of psychological tests to people in groups and sharing the results with all in the group. The tests showed different things.

I remember one that told us how we communicate when things were good and how we communicate when things were bad. Another test showed how well we communicate about ourselves to others. How open we are with the intricate facts of our lives or how much we shut others out of our personal lives.

I always scored well on communicating and getting along with others. But, in every instance, the tests would say I revealed very little about my personal life. So what does that say about me? Am I hiding something? I don’t think so. Am I trying to protect myself from unknown reactions? Well, maybe, sorta, .....nah, you react all you want. I may brood for a while, but I can take it.

Perhaps it’s just a trait I inherited. Let in enough light for others to see what kind of person you are, but don’t give them all the nitty gritty details. I think I’ve always been of the mind that those who pry are nosey. I don’t like to encourage nosey people.

There’s the public me, outgoing and gregarious. They guy who wants to be everybody’s buddy. Then there’s the private me which I doubt anybody outside of my wife knows. I have a lot of friends, but I don’t have close friends, besides my wife, that I feel comfortable in sharing everything with.

So, while I blog, don’t expect to learn a lot of intricate details about me until I have thoroughly filtered them and deemed them worthy of revealing. It’s not that I don’t like you or trust you. It’s probably because I must be insecure enough not to share everything.

But one thing I willingly share is my love of the oldies. So let me dig deep, find another quarter and punch out six plays on the jukebox.