This particular novel is the story of two women who have been friends for 30 years and whether that friendship can survive betrayal. As is often the case, one of the women is a passionate, fiery creature while the other is more mild mannered. I cannot help it; the deeper into the book I go the more I relate to the quieter character. Does that ever happen to you? Do you ever read a novel and feel that they've captured a portion of you on paper?
Growing up, I was shy. After many years and much work, I'm less shy. Or more adept at faking it. This shyness meant I stepped back in social situations, gladly allowing my confident older sister to take center stage. It wasn't until I hit high school that a part of me became resentful of my 'beige-ness.' I got so tired of being asked, "Aren't you Ashley ***'s little sister?" I started responding with, "No, I'm Whitney." The resentment wasn't logical; it wasn't my sister's fault that people gravitated towards her and overlooked me. It certainly wasn't her fault that I felt diminished when we were around other people. What is ironic is that I married someone very much like her. You know the type, the ones who've never met a stranger and can't walk into a room without several people stepping forward to say hello. They are what you'd term 'A People Person.' Is it any surprise that they are entertainers?
It's taken quite some time but I've come to realize that my strengths are no less valuable simply because they are less obvious. After all, doesn't a talker need a listener? Doesn't a doer need a planner? Doesn't the social butterfly need someone to keep the home fires burning? I have discovered that I am vitally important to these people, and that can be enough for me. Do I still have moments where I feel invisible? Sure. Actually, at nearly every gig of theirs I go to I run into someone who doesn't remember having met me before. It's okay, though. We should all play to our strengths. If I'm honest, I'm much better at keeping things running smoothly than at smiling at strangers.
I'm hoping I still remember how to schmooze without the kids around, though. We've been invited to a 'grown ups only please' wedding tomorrow night and I've hired a babysitter. I'll be on my own for quite a bit of it as Chase's band is the entertainment. It's just as well-I'm a terrible dancer. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!
3 comments:
My husband is on the outside, the quieter one. But in reality, I am just as shy and introverted as he, but have learnt to cover it by being loud and humourous.
I used to call myself 'handbag' as whenever i went out with my glam girlfriend, i was always just her accessory.
I am really relating to what you have so beautifully written, Whitney.
Such a lovely post.
And, Whitney, as you know, I am the extrovert and my sister is the quiet one. We gravitate towards those who complement us, I'm convinced, since I also married an introvert who does not like it when attention is focused on him, but he married me and we've worked it out. My sister Norma Jean still thinks of me as her best friend, so it's all good! Love this post.
I am the quiet one wherever I go. I usually find that in a social situation, there are always plenty of other people to do the talking. I listen. I don't learn anything from listening to myself but I do learn an awful lot from listening to other people!
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