Is spring really on the way?

So here I am sitting in my most comfortable chair in the middle of the morning with a lamp on behind my head since it's too dark outside to read or work on my computer otherwise. I love these quiet days at home after I've finished my housework and taken care of other things that need to be done. It's soul enriching to spend time alone contemplating life and what I can do to make the world a better a place. I know each person on earth has a vital role to play, even if his or her circle of acquaintances and friends is small. There's always someone close by who needs a word of cheer, help with a difficult task or something as easy to give as a smile. 

I'm an introvert and really struggle with social situations since my tongue often gets tied when I try to say something, and I mostly question if anything I have to say will be of interest to someone else. My life is simple. Most people would say it's boring since I don't have to be shopping, going out with family or friends or traveling to be happy. I take great pleasure in the common, everyday things.  I love the smell of fresh bread baking, touching a flower I've helped to grow, folding clean laundry and looking at the stars in the sky. But I also recognize that I need to help others see these beauties as well. So I've challenged myself this year to step out of my comfort zone and do at least one kind deed for someone else each day. It can be as simple as responding to a Facebook post or as uncomfortable as inviting a neighbor I barely know out to lunch. 

I haven't missed a day yet. That's not to say I haven't come close to crawling into bed at night before realizing that I still need to make good on my promise to myself. What I do may not mean much to anyone else in the larger scheme of things, but it means something to me because I've forced myself to go from a place of comfort into the unknown. Sometimes I get feedback, but mostly it's just knowing that I'm doing something that is hard for me. I used to think extroverts were so much better than me because they always seemed to be having so much fun with so little effort, but my perspective is starting to change. While I will always feel somewhat intimidated around others, I'm beginning to see that being different is okay. True happiness comes from accepting who we are and trying to become better. Perhaps there might even be someone else who wishes they were more like me.