Dear Quiet People,

I am very sorry. Let me start by saying that because sometimes I don’t know how loud and bombastic I can be. I promise I am not trying to make you feel uncomfortable because I talk very fast and naturally have a very loud voice. Believe me, I understand how frustrating it can be when you want to say something and someone else is over ruling you. As I have many friends that are quieter than me that have told me I need to quiet down, so don’t be afraid to tell me the same. I also realize that it can be very overwhelming when I have so much to say and don’t think that any of it is irrelevant because after I say it I realize it is. I also realize that I sing too loud, use my hands a lot to talk, and pronounce words very precisely but you have to remember that that is just how I am taught. Mainly I want you to realize that I am not trying to talk over you. I really do want to hear what you have to say because I love communicating as you can see. Some of my good friends are quieter than most because when I do listen I like to listen not just to respond but to comprehend and take in every detail of what you are saying because I realize that most of generation only listens to respond. I also want you to know that I am always here to listen because I know it is sometimes hard to share what you are thinking. Yes, when I answer it may be loud, it may be with much excitement, and it may have lots of eye contact because that’s what makes it fun for me to communicate with you. I also want you to realize that you are some of my favorite people to be around because I know everything you say has relevance and emotions. I know this because you may only say one out of the one hundred things you are thinking about in your head and that one thing was the most important and you chose to share it. I envy quiet people because I will say all those one hundred ideas and maybe not find one that is important, but quiet people find the importance in words and communicating. So please remember, I am not trying to talk over you, I may overwhelm you, but I am always there for you.

~Col