Sunday, June 9, 2013

A Closed Book

R.a.n.t. of week 06/09/13
Anyone that knows me to any degree, undoubtedly knows how much of an open book I am. I've never been shy about sharing various aspects of my life. True, in person I can be quiet and shy at times, but there are many ways a person can get to know me. As a writer, there isn't any excuse for not being able to get to know me, I'm out there. When I was younger, I kept a personal journal, even shared bit of it with my closest friends. As the digital age came upon us, I began utilizing more and more resources as a form of expression. Blogging, poetry, photography and any short stories I've written say volumes about who I am. And yet, anyone who's reading this r.a.n.t. I'm more or less, 'preaching to the choir', as it were. But there is a reason I brought this up.

Knowing this about me helps you understand what I'm really ranting about. People who keep a closed book. As an open person, I've never understood the need to be closed. People who never allow anyone inside, who refuse to answer even simple questions, or unwilling to show any sign of emotional response. Recently I've been dealing with a certain family problem, but every response to "what's wrong" is answered with "nothing" or "I don't want to talk about it". It can be ridiculously frustrating. Additionally, there are people who you do nice things for and the only response is to keep quiet. Would a simple "Thank you", be too much to ask? Oddly enough, these are the same people who never have a kind word in greeting, certainly not voluntarily. If you say hi to them, it's possible to get a "hello" back, but usually either icy or bland. Everyone has a personality, but being bland or 'closed' is NOT a personality. It's a deception, a falsehood, a side-step. Would it be so difficult to just open up a little? You may not think it, but you can find great comfort in sharing yourself with others; your grief, your joy, your hopes and dreams, your fears. You certainly can't judge a book by it's cover, so open your book and let others enjoy your story.

2 comments:

  1. I like that analogy. Open up your cover nd let people read your contents. There's a very nice woman living close to me, who never shows a friendly face and sometimes, I have to force a hello out of her. Her husband died a few years ago. Maybe she needs more time. Problem is, by that time she might have forgotten how to respond. Vusutubg from Authentic Blogger. http://475035832790540880.weebly.com/blog.html

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    1. Sometimes I think people are afraid to open up, fearing that doing so means losing control of the one thing they are in control of. Little do they know how empowering sharing can be.

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