I am.

I am sentimental. The word 'nostalgia' was made for me. Not that I live in the past, but that I cherish my memories.

I am a romantic. But not in my everyday life. I like romantic gestures on tv shows. Grand and cheesy and "awww!"

I am an observer. I learn a lot by shutting my mouth and opening my eyes.

I am soft-hearted. It makes me ache to see someone get disappointed or have their feelings hurt. I cry over news stories. And Publix commercials. And the tv show Parenthood.

I am sincere. I mean my compliments. When I speak a kind word, it is intentional. If I say I'm sorry, then I am.

I am a "feeler." But I don't let it control me. Because I can acknowledge my feelings without becoming a slave to them. I'm not afraid to say "I'm sad today" or "I'm cranky right now." But, mostly, I like to be happy, and usually the simple acknowledgment is a giant step away from not-happy feelings. The sooner I own up to them, the sooner I move on from them.

I am mysterious. Very few people get the "whole story" of me. You have to earn that level of trust.

I am playful. I believe in being silly, in laughing til I weep and clutch my stomach, in keeping my inner-child muscles in good working order. If you take life so seriously that this makes you look down on me with disdain, we cannot be friends.

I am a lover of words. Quotes, books, magazines, song lyrics, blog posts. I'm  the girl who took an advanced vocabulary class in high school. For fun.

I am loyal. If I say I have your back, I have your back. You have to work pretty hard to change that.

I am balanced. A firm believer of "all things in moderation," but also that we need to make commitments in some places and stand by them, unless there is a very compelling, unavoidable, inarguable reason to shift. But not all areas of life can be handled in shades of grey or we have no definition at all. There is a time and a place for both flexibility and stability.

I am grateful. My life overflows with blessings. I want for very little...and I feel that *not* having everything makes me more grateful for what I do have.

I am content. Not complacent. There's a difference. I am satisfied with enough and able to identify it as such. I am happy and I don't allow circumstances beyond my control to rob me of my joy. But I am not half-hearted. I do not shrug dismissively at what is important and say "whatever." Life is not full if we don't care. To mash together two cliched proverbs: Bloom where you're planted, but remember that the grass is green where you water it.

I am light. I taught myself to be this way. (Truth: I used to be borderline pessimistic, until I figured out I didn't much like feeling that way.) I won't carry unnecessary burdens. I won't harbor bitterness. I won't dwell on what I can't change. I smile. I sing in the car. I bounce with excitement. I seek out happy.