Basement Artist Gets A Life

Basement Artist is as much of an introvert as I am, without my extra couple of decades of accommodation mechanisms.

It's come as a great surprise to her that she seems to have acquired a life.

Okay, so fair enough, she's a young adult living in her parents' basement.  But she also has a steady job that she enjoys and is good at, she pays rent, she's engaged to a great guy from Montreal, Canada, and she's travelling up to see him next month.  This time next year she'll be married and living in Canada if all goes well.  (Her father expects to miss her a lot and plans to cry like a baby.)

She's creative, and writes and draws and edits very well and is brushing up on her piano skills and learning French.  (She's going to need it.)  She has an associate's degree in Forestry and is proficient with a chainsaw.  She's involved in her church's media and Sunday School ministries.  She has a lot going for her.

But what has really come as a shock to the introvert is that she has in the last several months acquired lots of friends and an active social life.  Between church, work, and neighborhood she has all kinds of connections, meets weekly with her small group for Bible study and fellowship, and frequently has coffee and ice cream dates with girlfriends.  (For obvious geographic regions she doesn't get together with the fiancé as much as either one of them would like.)

I'll be honest--a couple of years ago when we were talking about an upcoming wedding we were concerned because she didn't have any close friends her age.  Who was she going to ask to be a bridesmaid?  Now, it's the opposite problem--we're going to have to limit the number of attendants and she's going to have a hard time making the selection.

Of course, she is still an introvert, and will still have times when she needs to go in her room and close the door for a few hours because she's all peopled out, but I totally get that.  But even so, good job, Basement Artist.  I'm delighted to see you blossom, and I'm very proud of the young woman you're becoming.

Hope all's well out there, friends, and God bless.