Navel Gazing

Today has been a day of reflection for me as I recall the day the Two Towers came down in New York. Where were you?

I was home in our first house with our two boys (at the time). I had not slept well and woke up late. It was an "off" day for me, I felt really out of sorts and was making breakfast when my Mom called. Neither of us ever watch TV but she called to tell me to turn on the TV, her voice was strained. Fear seized me and I immediately ran to the TV. I went to ask which channel but every channel had the same images, scared reporters telling us that an airplane had hit one of the twin towers. As I watched I saw the second plane hit and though I kept the boys from watching, it wasn't easy because they saw the concern on my face. I explained what had happened for them to understand what was happening but I kept them from seeing the riveting images, people at the top of the towers, of those who jumped, of the towers coming down, of people running, fear, screaming, terror in the streets. I never asked my Mom what caused her to turn on the TV, but learned later that my sister had called her, her morning exercise routine including kickboxing to a video and she had caught a glimpse of the footage when she turned on her video.

How ironic that I write this as my daughter's favourite DVD Brother Bear is on. The song "No Way Out" playing in the background is almost surreal. But I digress...

Many of us have changed in subtle ways since that day, many of us focusing more closely on relationships than we had before. Others have looked at what we have taken for granted and refocused on the important. Hurricane Katrina has done that again for many of us who were not directly effected. I know I have. I have also learned a lot about myself through navel gazing as I think about these things.

One of my friends blogged on Friday about her own Navel Gazing via a personality test. I took the test this morning as I contemplated how closely her personality matched my husbands (my entire family will be taking this!), and I found myself to be INFP (Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging). I know, I didn't have a clue what that really meant either but it seems to be a close fit for me and interesting in light of the above:

Beneath the quiet exterior, INFJs hold deep convictions about the weightier matters of life. Those who are activists -- INFJs gravitate toward such a role -- are there for the cause, not for personal glory or political power.

INFJs are champions of the oppressed and downtrodden. They often are found in the wake of an emergency, rescuing those who are in acute distress. INFJs may fantasize about getting revenge on those who victimize the defenseless. The concept of 'poetic justice' is appealing to the INFJ.

"There's something rotten in Denmark." Accurately suspicious about others' motives, INFJs are not easily led. These are the people that you can rarely fool any of the time. Though affable and sympathetic to most, INFJs are selective about their friends. Such a friendship is a symbiotic bond that transcends mere words.

INFJs have a knack for fluency in language and facility in communication. In addition, nonverbal sensitivity enables the INFJ to know and be known by others intimately.

Writing, counseling, public service and even politics are areas where INFJs frequently find their niche.

How interesting that writing, teaching, counseling, ongoing supportive work with ICAN, and the political minefield of obstetrics (which moves, at times, far away from women's rights, fetal rights, informed consent, and evidence based practice as seen poignantly with the VBAC bans in the US) is so what I am passionately involved in right now.