I was painfully shy as a child. This thanksgiving I’m grateful for influences that saved me from debilitating bashfulness. I think the first decade of my life had me headed toward becoming a social recluse. The turn has been gradual, but here and there during my second and third decades a change took place.

When I was a high school sophomore my dad remarried and the McCrackens and the LeBarons became a blended family. The McCrackens were reserved and the LeBarons were outgoing. I did some growing out of my shell during the next three years before moving out on my own.

The fall of my junior year I got a job at the local newspaper. Before that my world was school, church, and the farm. Now a completely new environment was added. The people I worked with were part of a new world I had not known before and I enjoyed it.

Moving to Jackson, Mississippi, in 1978 was another step in shedding some of my timidity. I went to a place I had never been to work with people I did not know. It was a wonderful experience.

I’m not a good judge of how much shyness I’ve overcome and I can’t identify all the good influences that have made a difference in this regard. At some point I realized I admire people who extend themselves to others.

I’m grateful for the influences that help me stick my head outside my shell.