INFP

Our small group recently did the Myers-Briggs test and a spirtual gifts inventory. I am an:

INFP (an acronym)
Introvert - I renew energy by being alone. I am introspective and contemplative.
iNtuitive - Patterns, intuition, and relationship inform my life. I dream.
Feeling - People, and their feelings play into my decision making.
Perceiving - I like my options option, and am comfortable with being in process.

Now I've been an INFP since the very first time I took this personality inventory in high-school. People who know we well, and understand the Myers-Briggs verify my INFP status.

Here's the rub. The test I took last week turned out a bit differently. Though I AM an INFP I act Like a INTJ.

This annoys me.

It annoys me a LOT.

Because it sorta means I operate outside of my wiring. I've adapted to my life by acquiring survival skills.

Like being logical.
Like paying attention to details.
Like being goal oriented, and task focused.

These things aren't bad things, but let's be honest here, there not all that FUN either.

They're functional.

But, once, I was a dreamer.
Once, I was an artist.
I used to now how to glory in the beauty of a fall afternoon, and NOT do my laundry.
And believe it or not, years ago, I had the reputation of a slacker who distracted others from their work.

(In self-defense, I wasn't an actual slacker; I was just skilled at working the system so my work took me less time. I do, however, plead the 5th on the part about distracting others from their work. It might have happened, a time or two or... )

Life is stressful. It's busy. It's full of tasks that need to be done. right. now.

But somewhere in the midst of things I've lost the art of play. I lost the head in the clouds day-dreamer I used to be. What if I could just:

CHILL OUT!

and play.
and read.
and dream.
and pray.

What if I embraced these tendencies in my children?