The leaves are changing rapidly in Little Egypt. My Birthday Week is usually the best time to go leaf-peeping. Autumn is especially nice for Woods Walking.

I am a card-carrying introvert, and I am proud of it. For many years, I have heard that introverts should leave their comfort zones and become extroverts. This is a bit like telling zebras to whitewash their stripes. We introvert love people. We love them better at a distance.

Introverts are watchers. Introverts are deep thinkers. We enjoy our friends who seek the spotlight. We prefer the shadows.

We walk on to the stage of life and often leave our comfort zones. We seek to help others. Introverts speak publicly and can not be distinguished from extroverts without close examination. Many performers and public people are introverts. In reality, we are waiting for Godot.

People’s pain troubles us. We seek solutions for suffering. Still, waters run deep is the term others use to describe us. Deep we are and unplumed by others who are busy focusing on extroverts.

A lie travels around the world while the truth is still pulling its pants up. Public utterances disguise reality. Rhetoric is considered truth when often said.

It is good to be the king we introverts are advised. Follow me and leave your comfort zone…I will make you rich we are admonished. The quiet man and woman go unnoticed.

The extrovert Christian proclaims God blessed them with their abundance. The introverted Christian labors in the shadows and although not rich feel protection from God.

Introverts marshall their strength for the extrovert arena. It does not come naturally to them. When they speak people listen. They think about what they are saying.

My Director of many years and I commiserated regarding are being both introverts and yet having extrovert positions. The secret to my being in the extrovert arena was my love of people. My management philosophy was to put people first and excellence of work product would follow. My philosophy for my department’s relationship with all departments at Southern Illinois University was we would make our enemies our friends and our friends love us.

G.K. Chesterton said, ‘We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and we owe each other a terrible loyalty.’