A Yellow Introvert

If you’re an introvert, you also know that the bias against quiet can cause deep psychic pain. As a child you might have been prodded to come “out of your shell”— that noxious expression which fails to appreciate that some animals naturally carry shelter everywhere they go, and some humans are just the same. ~Susan Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking

Orange is not a color I am drawn to often...I don't have any orange decor in my home, and I don't have any orange in my closet. It doesn't suit my skin tone so I tend to steer away from it. However, I do love orange flowers! Today I'm sharing a photo I took of two orange tulips that show up in our yard every year. I'm always thrilled to look out my window one April day and see them there. This "orange" prompt comes from a wonderful Facebook group I'm a part of...we all took a Kim Klassen online class last year and created a group to support one another. I value this group so much and am really happy to be a part of it. We're starting a new weekly prompt to spur our creativity.

In the spirit of the word "orange", I thought I'd also share a poem I wrote about being an introvert. Awhile back I saw a lone yellow tulip amidst a bunch of beautiful, red ones. It was a lovely, pale yellow and it was surrounded by vibrant reds. It made me start thinking about living as an introvert in an extrovert-dominated world. Growing up, I aspired to be that sociable, outgoing extrovert that society values so much...I often felt inadequate as the shy, quiet observer I was. Many times when I was young, I felt pressured to act as an extrovert and it was always a big fail...it wasn't authentic and it wasn't a good fit for me. Mixing that red with my yellow turned me a very ill-suited shade of orange. It took some time for me to fully embrace my yellow...I'm happy to say I now love my introverted nature and wouldn't want it any other way. Yellow is definitely my color! And I have to say, I think there are actually a lot of us yellows out there...more than one would think. :)

Are you a red or a yellow? Or are you an orange? Whatever your true color is, it's perfectly you! Thanks so much for stopping by.

INTROVERT

My yellow is soft
Silent and swaying
With petals that
Softly blend in
A hue that disguises
A deep inner world
Rich and elusive
Within

Reds all around me
Strong and dynamic
Perplexed by my
Delicate yin
Their petals are bold
Mine are more muted
Yet we all blow in time
With the wind

I live in their world
I tried on their reds
But my soul blanched
From the orange blend
So I embraced who I am
My softly spun yellow
My rhythm in sync
Once again

I value the reds
So vivid and vibrant
And breathe in their
Strong, heady scent
But I cherish my yellow
My quiet, my mellow
And I shine as a
Paler shade of them.

©Sherri Brannon