The Offbeat Course

We sent our daughter out into the big, big world this past week. She did her very first morning of preschool, and I would say, overall, it was a success. No tears, some hesitation and plenty of shyness. This of course was to be expected because for one, she’s my daughter, and two, it’s a big friggin deal! 

I felt sick all morning. Not that I was worried or anxious, but I was both. I, myself, at 36 years old, still struggle with navigating the world and all the incredibly unique and eccentric people in it. It’s intense at times, it’s emotionally taxing and it is most definitely, completely and utterly draining. So expecting our 4 year old to even have a small foundation of some of the skills required to properly maneuver her way through the muck, was a tall order. 

Yes, we are a family of introverts. There is no question about it. And it’s funny because when my husband and I met, we were both pretending to be extroverts. Weird. In any case, it’s a hard gig; being shy, being introverted and most certainly being both. So what’s a person to do? Do you just jump in and try to adapt, or do you sit back and try to set your own offbeat course?

I’ve always been a believer in taking care of yourself first, and most certainly, going at your own pace. I was a late bloomer in many different areas of my life – which is something I love about myself – and because things were never rushed or forced, I had a lot of time to think, reflect and process; something that is absolutely imperative for us introverts. 

So where am I going with this? I don’t know. I guess what I am trying to say is that she did really well, exceptionally well in fact, and I think it’s partly because we have always done whatever works best for us. We opted out of full day schooling and decided to try something different – just a couple mornings a week as a taster. 

Learning to be yourself in the world is a huge undertaking and it is also vitally important. The more time you get to spend with yourself and know yourself, the better off you will be. For us, we needed more of that time. We needed time afterwards to decompress, and to come back to baseline. We needed time to sit together and talk. And mostly importantly we needed time to hug. 

Taking the time to just “be”, is absolutely everything – any introvert would agree. It is necessary nourishment and amongst all the hustle and bustle, and what is excepted of us or what is considered important or normal, sometimes you just need to sit back, go at your own pace and find your own offbeat course.

Sincerely, 

It’s ok to be different