kelsey heiter is...

That is a question I have been asking myself a lot lately. After, almost successfully, moving on over several things, I have been trying to figure that out. But honestly, I guess I am always trying to figure that out.

I started making a list:

I am...
friend, daughter, Hokie, hopeless romantic, student, driven, achiever, learner, determined, kind, friendly, caring, understanding, sympathetic, empathetic, budding poet, blogger, writer, beautiful, confident, secure, nitpicky, cook, baker, bossy, overbearing, bubbly, in-your-face, quiet, introverted and extroverted, woman, Christian, believer, grand daughter, niece, cousin, able, strong, comfortable, proud, German, blue-eyed, sense of humor, serious, courageous, loyal, sister to many, lovable.

That is sort of how I view myself, and I think that we should all have a list like that, a list that is true and real. Not a list just to bolster our self-esteem, but one that is really representative of who we are. I would like to think that list encompasses a lot of who I am - but maybe I am completely wrong. I guess I will see.

Only a few people have seen all of those sides of me - a few select people. It is hard to let people see all of those aspects of who I really am, and if you have, well, you are one lucky person. If you know me well enough, you know that I have trouble letting people in past the person I am on the outside. I have a tough time sharing all of my inner thoughts, feelings and ideas, but I am trying to put less of a wall up. I can count on my hands the amount of people I have really let push past that wall. It includes about three family members and four friends. I think everyone is probably like that in some way, though. You really have to get to know a person in order to let them know the inner workings of your mind.

I don't regret letting any of those approximately seven people deeper into my life. I am lucky enough to say that. I almost let one person in during high school, but was fortunate enough to see that it was a bad idea and am much better without that person in my life now.

It is difficult to learn who to trust, you all know that, but when you do learn which people will be there for you, I challenge you to let them know you, the real you, the you that you try to keep to just yourself. Let them know as much as you want, it will open up your relationships to new levels that you did not even know were possible. Trust me.