Last Minute Learning

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Labels are dangerous. I am a moderately quiet person and because of that I have been labeled introverted. This has never really bothered me since I believed it to be a fact of my personality. This semester has taught me a lot, but most recently I've discovered that I am in fact extroverted. I get my energy from being around people, talking to people, and sharing things with others. I hate being by myself. I've always thought that the anxiety I felt when I'm alone was just my lack of independence or some flaw in my character. I've always assumed that when I'm stressed that I should spend time alone, but it never helps. I need to talk things out, I need to share experiences with other people. For years I've been trying to fit myself into an introverted box and that has not been working out. 


It seems unfair to label people based on early impressions we have and yet we continue to do it. We're on our last week in Ireland and I'm still discovering new things about the people I've been living with these past three months. I'm so grateful to have met so many beautiful souls on this trip and to have learned so much from each of them. My perspectives on a multitude of things has been changed and I feel like I will be returning to the states as a very different Elyse. God has blessed me and let me feel Him and learn from Him in deeper ways that I thought I could and nothing could ever replace that. Happy has not always been a word that could easily be applied to me, but right now I it is the perfect word. I know it's getting late to be discovering these things since I'll be getting on a place next week, but I finally feel like I'm progressing in so many things that I've struggled with for years. I've been praying so hard for these things and I'm finally getting answers. 
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." James 4:8
-E


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