IN THE PUBLIC EYE

A lesson in church today was about keeping a journal.

I began keeping a journal when I was in junior high mainly to help me with a goal - to become less shy.

(Okay, now let's wait for the laughter to die down)

Yes, yes, believe it or not (and those of you who have only known me that past forty years will not, I know), I went through a painfully shy period after fourth grade.

I even know why I became so shy - in fifth grade, I was put back into fourth grade so I would be with my own age group. I was getting odd enough that my parents noticed it (which sorta means that it was WAY beyond any sort of normal weird), and decided that although I was doing great scholastically, I wasn't developing socially.

And the age difference, especially between 8 and 10-11 years old is pretty drastic.

 

Somehow the stigma of everyone thinking I had flunked a grade really shut me up in a tiny shell.

In junior high, I decided I was missing out on too many things - I was going to stop being bashful and quiet and someone you never noticed.

 

It also helped that I became friends with two of the craziest girls at my school.

 

And I began a journal to help myself.

Guess it worked.