Take heart, you young beautiful people. As you grow older, you'll lose more and more of self-consciousness and be more conscious of what's going on outside of you, in other people and things. It's a gift to us older folks not to be as inward-looking and it's very liberating.
Of course, it's an extraordinary gift to be young and self-conscious, too. Man, I had some great times when I was young. It certainly spurred me on in my young life and inspired me to become the person I am today, ya know? So there's awesome purpose in both seasons of life.
But now that I'm older I can relax so much more and focus on things and people outside of myself. It makes talking to people so much easier and less taxing when you don't feel obligated or pressured to deal with folks. And when you're older you can just smile and walk away when you tire of listening and people don't even question it.
And now that I'm older I can go into WalMart and not care that my hair looks like a straw broom explosion or that I'm wearing mismatched clothes. That doesn't keep me from smiling and talking to people. And I can dance in the grocery aisle without inhibition when Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" is playing through the speakers. (Except my son asked me not to do that when he's with me.)
ROFL
Anyhoo, I think you all have wonderful personalities and I'm glad I get to fellowship with you on CC.