first impressions
Leah had us talking about secrets in Bible study this evening, and it made me think about how well our perceptions of ourselves accord with what other people think about us. What ideas do folks get about me when they meet me for the first time? When they walk into our house (or see it from the outside, in all its paint-peeling glory)? I argued that, as an adult, I'm not inclined to "keep secrets"; that is, there isn't much about my life that I'm not willing to share with interested parties. But on the other hand, I'm not broadcasting a whole lot about myself in casual conversation. So what do people make of me?
To clarify: not being in middle school, I'm not particularly concerned that I make a good impression in general (except maybe for job interviews). It's more of a general curiosity: how do the outward ways we present ourselves influence people's impressions of us? Do you think that people get the right idea about you when they meet you for the first time?