
My daughter turned 7 this month.
She had her first real birthday party
at our house
…with people.
Five mini humans to be exact.
It was a lot.
It was
next level.
As an introvert
I’m used to being thrown into situations
without warning.
Like when small talk comes at me
from a corner of the grocery store
unexpectedly.
But it’s completely different
when there’s ample time
to anticipate.
Oof.
Half the battle is in the anticipation.
Will the kids get along?
Will everyone be entertained?
Will the time go quickly or slow as hell?
What do I say to the parents
during that 30-60 seconds of airtime
(which is nothing short of an eternity)
as they drop them off?
The other half is the carefully crafted
confident
assertive
calm
version of myself
that I create in my mind
to show up and take the reins for the day
…but she never does.
Or maybe I do put on a pretty good show?
But on the inside
it just feels like I’m slowly dying.
And then eventually everyone leaves
and it feels sooooo good
but also like I’m just fresh in recovery
after being hit
by a giant
transport truck.
Anyways
you fellow introverts deserve some damn trophies.
And extra rewards
for the ones who are also naturally sprinkled
with shyness
anxiety
overthinking
and some self-consciousness
for good measure.
It’s tough out there
living this thing called life.
Sincerely,
Extremely dry, fried, burnt toast
Been there…done hat ..many times !
LikeLiked by 1 person