Oversharing?

There is a quote by the buddhist Thich Nhat Hanh:

"You cannot resist loving another person when you really understand him or her."

On occassion, I have been accused by people of oversharing or sharing my "life story" too quickly with people I have only just met. Well, it's my nature first and foremost to try and connect with people, and in order to do that I need to be willing to generously give of myself...and that includes sharing my history. I don't think I share out of an extrodinary sense of narcissism. I share with people the type of information that I would like to know about them. I guess it also helps that there is very little in my life that I am ashamed of. Everything I've done has affected who I am to date and I'm pretty happy with her and who she has the potential to become.

We all have a story to tell and I find nothing more exhilerating and exciting then sitting down and hearing someone's story and learning from them. I can spend hours upon hours listening to someone tell of their childhood, their first best friend, the first time they cried because of a broken heart, the way their mother taught them to speak, how they would lie in bed at night and tuck all the covers underneath them so that the monsters couldn't get in... It's all utterly fascinating to me. It's my belief that most people move through life unaware of how interesting, complex, and involved their emotional lives truly are. This is why so many people are dissatisfied with their current situation or position in life. If you don't know where you come from, you probably don't know where you are going - or how to change the course if it doesn't seem satisfactory.

So, if you ever find yourself with me and suddenly find yourself uncomfortable with my sharing...tough noggies. And if you want me to share more, just ask me about that time in 7th grade when I had to make a presentation in front of my English class...that moment triggered my quest to become a competent public speaker.