{introverts}

I’ve often wondered why you stood out so much to me from everybody else. After all, they were just as skilled, knowledgeable, passionate and talented as you are. It’s only occured to me now that the reason I’ve always liked you has little to do with what you do, and so much more about who you are. They were always out-going and fun – but this over-friendliness, to my perspective, bordered on disingenuousness. You, on the other hand, was friendly enough to those whose good opinion you had; you rarely showed favoritism, and treated all with this same warm politeness and respect. While they taught with obvious enthusiasm, energy and excitement (as given away by often raised eyebrows, loud voices and big movements), your approach was much more calm and focused.

You once told me you were an introvert. I think I had always known that about you without even realising. It is probably one of the things I like the most about you. Your peaceful energy, the calm way you respond to others when they speak to you, the fact that you don’t start conversations just for the sake of it, that you don’t feel the need to join conversations you don’t want to be a part of, that you are never loud or overly friendly, that you never try to be somebody other than who you are.

This is what made you stood out in my eyes – it is that you didn’t try to. In a world of loud, excited, extroverted people, how easy it was to spot you, who did not even care about grabbing anyone’s attention. I recognised you, my introverted friend, and I thank you for showing me how amazing a quiet person can be.