hsp overload

I’m a highly sensitive person–HSP.  I think I’ve explained this before; it’s a theory by Elaine Aron, and she believes different people respond differently to stimuli.  For me, an introvert and solitary soul, being around people is fun but tiring.  I don’t process stimuli well unless I have time immediately afterward to be quiet and alone.  When you visit folks, you rarely  have time to yourself, and for someone who’s used to spending 80% of each day alone, that’s HARD!  Fun, but challenging.  I saw my former high school English teacher on Friday, which was awesome–she took me to a “posh” place on Frenchman’s Bay, and we ate outside as the sun was setting.  The next day I went downtown to visit my cousin and her boyfriend; we had brunch, and wandered around Little India, then I took two more streetcars to meet up with my feminist college pal, Julia.  We had lemonade and sat at a cafe next to a fashionable avenue in Toronto (The Danforth), then I headed back to the ‘burbs to have dinner at home with my mother and aunt.  My aunt just launched her own company, Groups of Hope, and self-published the facilitator’s manual she uses to lead groups of women through scripture-based healing sessions.  Powerful stuff, and we swapped tales of our self-publishing/self-promotion escapades.  Today I was booked to have brunch with another school friend and another cousin after that, but bailed–I’m beat!  My uncle’s on his way over (did I mention I come from a huge extended family?) so I better hop in the shower and get ready.  I leave for the airport just after noon and should be back in BK by 7pm.  I will need at least one full day of speaking to NO ONE in order to recover from this trip, but it’s worth it.  I’m blessed that I have so many friends and loved ones, and opportunities to connect with them though we live so far apart.  Here’s a shot Julia took yesterday–I swear, she has a magic camera–every picture she takes looks great!