Shy

Here’s something that just grabbed my attention.  In the latest issue of Time magazine there’s an article about why kids who are really shy and who won’t speak.  It’s called selective mutism.  Their website is:  http://www.selectivemutism.org/  

I think I had this when I was a child.  Or, something like it. I didn’t know it had a name.  I just thought I was horribly shy.  It lasted well into adulthood.  Hell, at times I still have  moments when I freeze up.  But, as I read that article just now I was moved to tears.  I never told anybody about how painful it was for me.  There were 5 kids in our family and there just wasn’t any time to spend on one who had a really minor problem like she was horribly shy.  I knew even then not to say anything and with so many kids around nobody would notice me anyway.  And, so, I got away with being invisible most of my life.