Patience is bitter but its fruit is sweet

Last year is now a dead cell. But before I send its soul into a kayak and let it drown down the dam to its newly found grave, allow me to share with you a moment in a life on matters of conflict of personality traits. In 2014, I was a man whose life was interspersed with a vast array of aspects especially on the interface between human nature and environment. An example of such aspect was the tribulation that introverts face in a vocally rich niche.

I beg to put up a case before a jury of readers by taking you back to a previous occasion. A month ago, a friend narrated how it feels to be an extrovert - the only talkie talkie-in a nondescript niche dominated by nerdy introverts. He is a kind of guy defined by a trinity of humour, persuasive gusto and a verbally life in the extreme end while in my case, I lacked the prestige that comes with vocally putting up an adequate persuasion. So I chose a plea bargain and let him win - no objection whatsoever. Basically, the nub of his complaint was that he is less comfortable around nerds. And his argument was that as a human from extroversion forte, he had much to offer while in my introverted case, I had little to put on the table. In most cases, he abjures me with the phrase ‘wewe ni contentless’ as a way of insinuating that my vocal inferiority has no value.

Ahem! In case you are wondering why I’m putting up the ditto case in a mainstream print platform then wonder no further. My case with Dan, the friend is an archetype of the complexity that comes with being an introvert in an extroverted niche. A communication situation rooted on the ideology of extroversion does not acknowledge silence as a personal trait. Rather than being seen as an individuality feature, it is perceived as threat. Thus, the introverts in the possession of the silenced traits are regarded as the non-conformists who deviate from the norm prescribed by the extroverts.

The result is a complex of interpersonal and inter-group conflicts that will consume humans even with the intervention of social science. Introverts of my ilk, those who are sometimes forced by an environmental stimuli to engage in verbal situation, must understand that it takes both patience and the science of blending to make sweet smoothies. Be patient and in no time, the environment shall accept your soundless existence. Make it your New Year resolution to always understand the science of blending with people of the extreme end without necessarily tampering with your personality.

Do you have something on your mind or from your heart that you would like to share with Eve Woman readers? Send your reflections about life to [email protected].