THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - SHYNESS

"What difference is there between us,
save a restless dream that follows my soul
but fears to come near you?"



Kahlil Gibran

IT TAKES TWO TO RELATE

... shy girl, shy girl, don't shy away ...

For a number of reasons, some people keep others at a distance. Proximity makes them uneasy or self-conscious. Shyness is often a barrier to having good relationships with other people. Typically, the shy person is someone who wants to join in, to share personal intimacies, to feel comfortable about being with others, but somehow is inhibited from doing so. Often this is because he or she has low self-esteem. Such individuals frequently become tongue-tied when they try to speak. They blush if others become friendly or intimate with them. The social exchange is even as an emotional threat--not an opportunity. The shy person backs away from the encounter for self-protection.

Of course, there are positive aspects to shyness. Some people simply might prefer their own company to that of others. But the person who likes to be alone can pay a high price for such privacy. When is or she does need contact with others, it may not be there. It takes two to relate.