Time To Live, Time To Die, Time To Grow

I remember the last time I saw the late writer Ed Bryant. It was at a convention, maybe a Westercon, and I came to his room first thing in the morning, for some purpose I do not recall. His room was, (as was often the case) filled with giggling girl. He was somewhat groggy (the old dog!) and I was my usual perky self. He glared at me and said that I was “obnoxiously exuberant”, a phrase I treasure and actually had printed on a t-shirt.

I was recently mock-complaining about someone I’ve encountered who is perky enough to make me feel like a slug. Over the last month or so in interacting with them, I noticed my growing irritation, and tried to put it off on them.

Where they phony?

On drugs?

Self-deluded?

Nuts?

But observing them, what kept coming back to mind was that they were more ALIVE than I am. Simple as that. And that just as I had heard from people that I troubled them with my “relentless optimism” and “pollyanna personality”, this person was hitting ME the same way.

And since I know that the person I present to the public is (more or less) the same guy I am when I’m alone, I know that there HAVE to be people who are even better than me at being…themselves. Taking their brakes off. Being ALIVE.

So…how can you tell when you encounter one? After all, there ARE people who will “fake it”, try to convince you they are something they are not, for various reasons. HOW…