Depending on how connected you are to the news, and how widespread this news actually is, you may have heard a lot about my state today!
Hurricane Joaquin (dumb name for a hurricane) has hit us pretty hard. My dad has spent all day at the EOC (Emergency Operations Center) helping deal with the chaos of it all. Extreme flooding, 3 different dams breaking, I believe there have been 5 deaths so far that we know of… Crazy stuff.
But, being that I’ve spent all day cooped up in my house, unable to leave due to the flooding and now, the curfew our major issued, I’ve had a lot of time to think about stuff. So this post is not about the flooding, but please do be in prayer for those who lost their houses, cars, and even their loved ones and pets in this natural disaster. South Carolina is not used to this…
My main purpose in this post is just to express random thoughts I’ve toyed with today. So here it goes….
Last night I carpooled with four guys from church to go Contra Dancing about 25-30 mins out of town, in the insane downpour, with the threats of the impending flood (we wanted to dance, NOTHIN’ WAS GUNNA STOP US), and being the introverted observer that I am, I actually quite enjoyed just sitting and listening to the conversations they had. Just absorbing the “vibes” of their thoughts and the way they each chose to communicate… It’s really amazing how quickly you can pick up on little things about people just in their tones, the words they choose, and the things they think are funny and worth saying. Maybe it’s weird that I enjoy that, just being present when conversations are happening, but I do.
It’s also interesting to me how uniquely different people affect me. You would think, from a logical prospective, that super out going, extroverted people would make me, an introvert, uncomfortable, while quieter, more reserved people would make me feel more comfortable. While that’s often fairly true, I’m realizing that it’s way more individual than that. Recently, I have met some very nice, quiet, reserved, introverted people, and some of them I really like, but some of them, I don’t know what it is, they just grate on me. Wish I knew why, but it’s like the moment they talk to me, something inside me tenses up. And I’ve also met some very boisterous, outgoing, quick-talking extroverts, and while most of them take a lot of energy for me to be around, others don’t. It’s a rare find, I’ll admit, but occasionally I meet an extrovert who just has a fluidness about them, a smoothness of spirit if you will, that doesn’t erode my energy, but rather, relaxes and softens it. (While still drawing me further and further outside my safe, warm little introvert bubble of safety.)
This is like a new world to me. It’s opening my mind to people, making me reevaluate the way I look at those around me, and I’m loving it. I’m only dipping my toes in this new world of spontaneity, but it’s a rush nonetheless. Thankful that God is bringing such a wide range of people into my life, teaching me so much and showing me the beauty of each unique personality. It’s pretty awesome. I come home from adventures like this feeling this weird combination of exhaustion, a buzz of continuous thoughts, replays of conversations I heard or participated in, and contentment at having experienced something new and enjoying it immensely. Wears me out completely, but it’s totally worth it.
Maybe you read this and thought “Soo… you rode in a car with people, went to a dance and it rained a lot…. What’s the big deal exactly?”, and you know what, you’re right. In the grade scheme of things, it’s not a big deal. But for me, it was a fun new experience and I enjoyed it. No one forced you to read this whole thing. ^_^
Disclaimer, not making light of the disaster caused by the rains or flood, that is indeed a very big deal. Just referencing my experience from before the rain caused all this craziness. 🙂Â
Anyway, I’m going to stop rambling now. Maybe I’ll bring my laptop in my room and watch a movie in bed… 😀
~TQG
That Quiet Girl You Sort-of Know 