my take on it

There's something about you that makes people really like you. You're magnetic.
About a year ago, a friend said something similar to me. At the time, I thought he was just saying it to be nice. I've always considered myself to be rather shy, slightly introverted, and somewhat of a wallflower. I do well in one-on-one or small gathering situations, but thrown into a larger group or party and I tend to shut down. In many circumstances, I attempt to make a good impression on people, but I leave feeling like I've left a fairly mediocre to no impression at all. I often believe that people forget about me soon after meeting me.

Needless to say, I was extremely skeptical about people being "drawn to me" or *really* liking me. In the last few months, however, I have been told much the same from various people, including friends I've known for quite some time and others I had recently become acquainted with. So when yet another friend made the aforementioned statement to me last night, I decided I should sit up straight, pay attention, and take her word for it.

If I take it as truth, though, I have to try to understand the reasoning behind it. Why do I attract people? What am I doing or saying that makes people take such a liking to me?

"[My] first impression [of you] was that you are really cool and nice."
This was a nice albeit vague thing to hear. But I think I get it:

• I'm easy to talk to because I listen. I'm also, therefore, down to earth.


• I have a wide variety of interests so there's a high probability I have something in common with most people.


• Oh yeah. And I'm nice.

When did nice people become a scarcity? A week ago, I volunteered to bring my friend soup, orange juice, and medicine because he told me he was starting to get sick. I thought I was just extending a courtesy any friend would put forth, but he seemed surprised by it. He told me I was sweet to offer to bring him a care package. Again, I thought I was just being a good friend.

I like being nice, sweet, and a good friend. Maybe people are drawn to me because that is rare to find these days.