You learn a lot about people from how they speak, what they write and even what they take photographs of. For some reason - one that I cannot explain - people who always speak of themselves, write of themselves and take photographs of themselves always seem like narcissists to me. Maybe that isn't true, but it seems that way to me and I cannot explain why. Maybe it is that I don't do the same and thus I am more attentive to it.

But it goes beyond that. People criticize my picture on Facebook because it only shows my right eye, staring out, but then I hold little importance to how others view me. I'm too busy looking at other things to dally with myself more than necessary. Why? Because the world around me is much more interesting than I am - there are so many things to see and share. But then I use websites to express my own opinions, and perhaps there is some narcissism in that as well.

It makes me wonder, though. So many times I meet people who are so caught up with themselves that they seem to be oblivious to what is around them. In relationships, too - just yesterday I spoke with an Aunt who confirmed what I thought - that my father was most upset with me because I wasn't what he wanted, but instead was my own person. This, I imagine, is true of many people - so I don't feel special - but the confirmation from a third party who knew us both did sit well with me.

And still, I don't understand how people can focus almost completely on themselves. Is it narcissism? Insecurity? What is it that makes people this way?

Of course, this is not a complaint. People are always interesting in their own ways, but then - who can stand to be near someone who spends more time with a mirror than the world around them, figuratively or literally?

I wonder. I do know that I can't. Perhaps there is something wrong with me... :-)