I have a six year old niece who is teaching me so much about myself. Well, it’s my wife teaching me about myself through things we notice in my niece.
My niece is immediately best friends with everyone she meets. Yet, if you ask her a day later about her new friends – their names or frankly any details – she won’t remember. My wife pointed out how similar to me that is.
I love people. Put me in a room with tons of people I don’t know, and I’ll become best friends with most of them. But the next day, I’ll hardly remember anything about them – even though we got into deep conversations and I asked tons of questions.
It actually goes back to my missionary days. I knew I’d have to make quick friends and also realize they might not be around a year later. All of my friendships were perforated (as a pastor friend phrased). I was connected, but when they left, I didn’t lose a piece of myself from the separation.
I’ve previously identified this as a bad thing. I always felt guilty that I didn’t keep up with friends who moved away. But my wife has helped me realize that it might not be the worst thing.
Although I’m working hard at keeping up with a few friends here and there that I don’t see regularly, I’m embracing the personality trait that allows me to be fast friends with people. I’m definitely trying to make it a more mature approach to friendship, but I’m no longer feeling ashamed for something that makes me unique.
Don’t let your uniqueness become a point of shame for you. God can use your personality “flaw” to do amazing things. Embrace it.