Waynesburg University's Highly Sensitive Person Group met for the second time this past Wednesday, and went extremely well. We had a new member, who read one of the flyers I posted around campus and said to herself, "this fits me to a T."
She came in the room smiling, exclaiming, "oh my goodness, I can't believe there's a group for this! I didn't even know there was a name for it." She asked who started the group and where I heard about HSPs, and I told her I'd come across Elaine Aron's book, "The Highly Sensitive Person: How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You," which gave me the same kind of revelation she was experiencing.
She began to cry, saying, "I can't believe there's a book!" As our group leader went to fetch her a box of Kleenex, I handed her a self test listing the main HSP trait identifiers, which produced more tears as she admitted, "I can relate to all of these! This is me!
Then, she told us a bit about her childhood, and how, "I grew up with four brothers and being in the house with my family was so overwhelming, I'd have to retreat to my room alone and just cry. Everyone thought I was so pathetic. I'd think, 'why am I so different?'"
I looked at her as I'd watch a child learn to ride a two-wheeler for the first time. I was proud I'd helped her understand herself a little better and realize why she's different, and that she's okay the way she is.
Later on, she added, "I love nature, and that people destroy our environment hurts me so much."
"I know what you mean," I reassured her, "I'm a member of Eco-Stewards Club.
I could relate better to her, who seemed to be the most sensitive of the group, more than the other members. I left the meeting intensely fulfilled, like I'd nursed a baby bird with a broken wing back to health and set him free to fly just as high and far as the rest of his species.
Great use of dialogue here, but I would suggest letting each speaker have a separate line to allow the white space to encourage the reader's mind to focus on the words.
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