My Down Fall - People

I truly have determined by greatest attribute and flaw. I know, you're excited. The one question you're always asked at an interview and hate to answer - I've got it! I love people. Yes, this means that I have lost my mind. It doesn't matter if I'm tired, sick, or physically and emotionally drained. I will perk up when I meet someone new or talk to one of my good friends. Why is this? I have a disease. I got it from my mother - chatty cathy.

My mother is named Cathy, and she talks a lot. Enough said - I have chatty cathy syndrome. I wonder if I can get this put into medical journals.

"There are different phases in the infection:
Stage 1: patient must talk all the time, annoying all those around
Stage 2: patient must not only talk but connect with the other person while chatting
Stage 3: patient realizes problem but cannot stop
Stage 4: patient does not accomplish tasks due to interest in other people
Treatment: balancing exercises, yoga is highly recommended
While not deadly, chatty cathy proposes an interesting question: Can one involve him or herself too deeply with others?"

Now that I have admitted to the disease, what is the answer? How do you balance this need to be around others? Am I hiding from myself, or do I truly love people? I think that over the years I have moved from a talker to a talker and a listener. While I may do both, I am infinitely distracted by people. The library becomes a dangerous place when I know people - will I get any studying done? Some, but I find the best past time - delving into other people. It is a puzzle that never gets boring. Everyone has a background that makes them who they are. The more that you hear their story, the more you understand them. Once you understand a person, you can gauge reactions and eventually help them more than they ever thought. The challenge: not to get frustrated. Ultimately, each person has a unique set of ideals that may not agree with yours. Whether one is outrageously confrontational or passive, it all makes up a character. Unfortunately, I am so intrigued that I forget about everything else, including myself. I am dealing with my disease - balance. The cure is not easily found. Maybe this is because life is always changing, and the balancing acts starts to look like something out of the circus.