Tête à tête....(1)

Have you ever poured your heart out to someone and told them every little detail about what was on your mind? They were sympathetic, they listened to every word, and gave you the best advice ever. Maybe the person even told you one or two real-life stories about people who had a problem like you did and how it all worked out. They left you feeling better than you had in a long time but only when they are gone do you realize they never once said anything about themselves.....

That's me: The Non-discloser.
But I am not alone.

You meet people everyday who are really open and friendly and outgoing; only until you meet the carefully crafted wall they have built just beneath the surface to keep you out. Not just you, however, it keeps everyone out. And it's shocking. Most times they reached out to you first, they sparked up the conversation and made you comfortable, so comfortable that you found yourself telling them everything, more than you ever told anyone. But when you want to be there for them you don't even know how. You can never spot a crack in their perfectly happy demeanor and they just never seem to need you...or anyone else...

A friend of mine recently described me in these words and I was a little surprised. He was right, of course, but I did not think for a second that anyone could ever see me in that way. After all, I could even pass for a blabbermouth on a good day.... :)

So it's no longer a secret: I love my privacy. But it's not because I don't like people. I love people, I love having people around and talking to them and I love being that friend that people can talk to without fear of being judged or turned away. But when it comes to me, its harder to get me to open up. Beneath that carefree exterior there is a solid wall that gently keeps people out of personal stuff.  But I'm not really that sneaky person that protects their privacy with a Medusa skull on the front porch...

First of all, I have a blog that anyone in the entire world can read whenever they like. And most of the things I put up here are deeply personal, maybe a little more personal than anyone would normally tell strangers. Contradiction, right? Not the way I see it. I keep to myself not because I'm hiding anything, it's really just the way I am. I observe, I listen, I respond when spoken to and when needed. And when I have a problem, I find it much easier to solve it without having to go to the people who come to me. And on the rare occasions that I need to talk, I find that I am able to be completely honest about my feelings.

But that's enough about me for now. What's your unique 'social skill'?