Work Spirituality Lifestyle Therapy Personal Growth 2003 California Gathering Page 1 HSP Resources On Being Gifted The Gifted Adult Characteristics Special Issues Blessing or Curse? Commentary Gifted Resources On Being Introverted Inward Journey Outward Journey Shyness & Introversion Finding Self Introvert Resources On Personality Types C.G.Jung Myers-Briggs The Enneagram ANSIR Socionics Others On Psychology, etc. Counseling & Therapy Abnormal Psych? Choosing a Therapist On Life, in General Thoughts Words Images Dreams & Wishes Commentaries Putting it All Together A Journal, of Sorts Dedications & Thanks A Gallery of Links |
Work Spirituality Lifestyle Therapy Personal Growth 2003 California Gathering Page 1 HSP Resources On Being Gifted The Gifted Adult Characteristics Special Issues Blessing or Curse? Commentary Gifted Resources On Being Introverted Inward Journey Outward Journey Shyness & Introversion Finding Self Introvert Resources On Personality Types C.G.Jung Myers-Briggs The Enneagram ANSIR Socionics Others On Psychology, etc. Counseling & Therapy Abnormal Psych? Choosing a Therapist On Life, in General Thoughts Words Images Dreams & Wishes Commentaries Putting it All Together A Journal, of Sorts Dedications & Thanks A Gallery of Links |
The HSP Gathering in California, June 2003 |
In June 2003, I went to my first "HSP Gathering," at Walker Creek Ranch, north of San Francisco, California. These pages represent an attempt-- no more-- at capturing and chronicling both the feelings, and the events, of my journey to spend time with a group of fellow HSPs. What I share here is purely my own reflections on the experience-- the people I met there may have taken something entirely different home with them. However, this "journal" is both for them, as well as for the many HSPs I have corresponded with over the years-- people who have wanted to go to a Gathering, but couldn't; people who have just been curious, and people who are new to the HSP concept and eager to learn-- people who have wondered: "What is it like, to be with a group of just HSPs? How does it feel, when you're not 'the odd one?'" Well, I'm going to try to explain that-- not just from a basic "reporting what happened" perspective, but hopefully also from a "how it felt" perspective. |
All content Copyright ©1995-2003 Peter Messerschmidt & Inner Reflections. All Rights Reserved. |
2003.07.17 2003.09.21 |
Some words of thanks are in order, before I get started. To Elaine Aron, not just for coming and talking to us at the Gathering, but for her research and for writing the books that got the ball rolling, in the first place. To Jacquelyn Strickland, for her tireless work in support of HSPs, and for being the driving force behind the HSP Gatherings. To Beila Krow, Jay Lewis, Ted Zeff, Barrie Jaeger, Marcia Norris, Sarah Edwards and Claudia L'Amoreaux for their contributions (time and content) to workshops and "break out sessions" at this year's Gathering. To Nick Rodin, for sharing his music with us. To Chuck Hansen and Shane Hathaway, for letting me use some of their photos. To Susie and the staff at Walker Creek Ranch for taking good care of us. And last, but certainly not least, to all the HSPs who journeyed from across the US (and Canada) to make the Gathering a wonderful and memorable experience. |
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Journal Notes: 2003 HSP Gathering Wednesday, June 11th, late, I should be in bed... Sometimes I get into "Little Pessimist" mode-- I am sitting here, reminding myself that I have gone to any number of workshops and seminars, and I have-- at best-- come away with a "decent" feeling about the event. Let's face it, I have no issues with "groups" (although I'm an introvert, but that's a whole different story), it's just that I never really seem to "connect" with people at these things-- and then I end up going home with a feeling of disappointment. That's OK if you only went for educational reasons, but not when you were hoping to connect. |
I am definitely going to the Gathering more because I want to "experience" other HSPs, than for the workshops and lectures. A part of me is very open to the idea that I might be on the same wavelength as some of the HSPs, but my "insecure parts" also have this fear that I might just end up being too "weird," or too "culturally different," or "too quiet" so I'll end up sitting in a corner. Intellectually, I realize this is nonsense-talk, but the voices keep whispering to me about past discomfort at group events.... I tell them to go to sleep. |
The last few days have been a bit frantic-- in part because I just got back from Europe, and my brain is wading through a jetlagged haze. The other "part" is the fact that I have been away from my work for 18 days, and have been trying to catch up. In two days. An impossible task. I am thankful that Jacquelyn has-- at the last moment-- been able to hook me up with someone I can carpool with from SFO to Walker Creek Ranch. It doesn't look far, on the map, but I'm guessing it's probably a two-hour+ drive during daytime traffic in the Bay Area. I have managed to get one "stress-factor" out of the way by jamming all my stuff into a small backpack and a computer case-- so I won't have to check luggage-- which means I don't have to worry about my stuff getting accidentally rerouted to |
Kinshasa or Tierra del Fuego. I consider this a basic HSP stress-avoidance tactic when travelling. There is NO chance I will get a decent night's sleep-- I am too much of a "clock checker" and I have to be awake at 5:30am. |
