Dearest Daughters,
I've been attending a mindfulness class on Wednesday nights. This is a good thing because:
1) I am doing something for myself, by myself, period.
2) I am expanding my understanding of the mindfulness and meditation practice that I began a few months ago.
3) In his support of my efforts to care for myself (when I finally and sincerely ask), your Dad has committed to come home a bit early on Wednesdays and spends time alone with you playing pirates or Just Dance or, as the case was last night, indoctrinating you into the world of professional sports fanaticism. [Go, Giants!]
On my way home from class last night, my radio tuned to public broadcasting, a serendipitous TED Talk about introversion was playing.
Turns out it was by the same woman who wrote about Rovers and Sitters in the New York Times last year (remember when I wrote about that?) And continuing her line of research about the value of introverts, she published a book earlier this year: Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
The introvert and academic in me had me bounding into the house to tell your Daddy all about the science and psychology and general amazingness of introverts. But, I'll spare you the animated synopsis and just let you watch the TED talk itself:
After spending the evening in a bit of solitude of my own (albeit amongst meditating strangers), this was a nice bookend to my day.
Like the talk says, we live in a Culture of Personality, not a Culture of Character. So, sometimes it takes some mental and real work for not only society, but little ol' me to stop self-negating, to value myself as I am, stop forcing myself into another mold, embrace the contents of my "suitcase," find my own time alone in the woods or a class or running or just staring into the abyss.
Dearest Daughters, come stare with me? According to Susan Cain, it'll do all of us some good.
Love,
P.S. Bearing in mind the fact that I am raising at least one introvert (in addition to caring for myself):
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