If you saw the movie, “The Blind Side” you heard Tim McGraw’s characater (Sean) say, “She’s like an onion, Michael. You just have to peel her back one layer at a time”. He was referring to Sandra Bullock‘s character, Leigh Ann (Sean’s wife). This line struck me strongly and made me think about all the things I have done in my life. It also started me down a path thinking about all the people I know. How well do I truly know them? How well do your friends truly know you?

Over the last year I have met several people as a result of my job, joining committees and the running community where I live. I am not one to supply a dissertation on my life upon meeting new people. I stay very quiet and reserved about my abilities, accomplishments, interests, activities, etc. In fact, it is a well-known fact among those who know me well that I am an incredibly private person. I don’t boast about myself at all. I have some friends who I have known for a couple of years and become close with who still do not know all there is to know about me. I recently had a conversation with someone and it was revealed that I am an ordained minister. Her response, “Of course you are.”. She said this because she is starting to learning more and more about me and all the things I have done in my life as she is one of the people I met over the last several months. As I have adopted the phrase, “I’m like an onion”, I shared this with her and she was a bit amused and said, “I can see that.”.

So how well do you know your friends, even your best friends? How well do your friends know you?