To Share Or Not To Share.....Oversharing

Hello my name is Kelly and I am an oversharer.

Seriously, I feel like it's a disease or something. I wonder if there is an OverSharer Anonymous Group, my husband would probably sign me up right away.  Maybe there's a 12 step program that can help me to not share everything from what I ate for breakfast to what my kids did or didn't do to what is just pouring out of my heart. This week I realized, I am an oversharer. I know, you're shocked right? I mean I write about my family and my own personal feelings and I'm addicted to social media. But somehow I just realized, I am an oversharer.

 

The fact that I can be an oversharer was actually a surprise to me. And this is because I am an introvert. That may be surprising to hear but really I am. I am not a people person, I do not like social gatherings......and all that other stuff that goes along with being an introvert. I'm happier with a good book, my computer, or a hot bath than good company. I know, it's sad. But true. And I didn't know introverts could be oversharers.......

I was getting my taxes done and the nice lady who was getting all of my information down was talking about her little boy. Her son is only about a month younger than Landon. So we were talking about boys, how busy they are, and all that good mom stuff. But you see this mom only has one child, only one boy. I have THREE boys. So she starts to tell me something then stops and then she says, " Oh, you'll understand. You're a mom too. " And she proceeds to tell me how her little boy had to go to the bathroom SO  bad when they were out that they had to just let him pee on a bush because there were no restrooms. The way she was acting, I thought she was going to tell me some horrendous thing her son had done. I almost started laughing, not because of what he did but because I was just picturing how my son had just pooped his pants at the park a few days before because he couldn't make it to the bathroom. Imagine if I had told her that story. Or what if I shared with her the time when my son started wiping his nose on my neighbors carpet, because I guess he thought it was a tissue. Or the time when my oldest son threw glass coasters at a friend's house and it shattered on her wood floor (Who owns glass coasters anyways?).  The time my 5 year old was taking bites of another kids' lunch or how about when my 3 year old told someone at a basketball game that he had an owie on his pee pee. I mean my kids are not horrible but let me tell you, they have given me a lifetime of embarrassing moments. But the way this other mom acted about telling me something so simple, made me realize I am a little open about what is happening in my life.

I have lots of friends that do not overshare. They rarely post a status to their facebook or a picture on their instagram. I have really good friends who do not even have a facebook account. Shocking. I know. And I am not only referring to social media when I talk about oversharing. I am also talking about candid conversation. Some people are not as open as others. And I respect privacy and people wanting to be private people. And just because I am an oversharer does not mean your secret is not safe with me. I am if nothing, a good secret keeper.

 

But occasionally I struggle with my desire to overshare. Why do I struggle? I struggle because I will think about other people and what they are or are not sharing. I try to put a gage on what is appropriate and what is not. Where is the line between friendly conversation, telling a friend something meaningful, and just letting your heart seep out to anyone who will listen?  I honestly don't know. I think it is a line that needs to be flexible. Flexible for different friends, different people, different circumstances, and perhaps different seasons in life.

 

At a bible study once, I heard a woman give this testimony. She threw it all out there and shared some of the most intimate moments of her life. I was in awe of  her strength, her courage, and her story. And I will never forget when we got up to leave, the girl next to me said, "Wow, I didn't know she was going to share all of THAT. That was kind of personal. " And it made me so sad. After all, if we can't share with other believers what ugliness God has used for his purpose than what good is the story he has given us.

 

Anyways, I don't have some great story. But I do know when I try to stifle myself from oversharing, when I attempt to tone down what is seeping from my heart, and when I try to keep too much inside ..... I don't feel like me anymore.

 

So in honor of being true to myself

I will continue to overshare...........

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