Don't just be there

This last weekend I attended a YSA multi-stake activity. We camped at Eagle Cave, about 10 miles south of Gotham, WI (not to be confused with where Batman lives). It was an enjoyable outing, punctuated with a 10 mile canoe trip down the Wisconsin River. Despite the strong headwind, we made good time, stopping at a sandbar for lunch and frisbee. As I drove back to Madison with a carful of sleepy passenger and Georgie, the dog, I was deep in thought. Had I taken advantage of all of the opportunities presented to me?

The honest answer: No. I didn't put myself out there as if it were one of only a handful of opportunities in the year to meet LDS young adults out there. I should have, because it was. Yes, I do at times feel awkward socially because of a perceived speech impediment and yes, I do struggle to find common interests. But that is no excuse. Just as I advised a missionary brother preaching the gospel to hard-hearted Londoners:

Your actions should be independent of the actions of others. Just as blaming others for your own misdeeds is contemptible, so is letting your circumstances dictate your attitude and, thus, your actions.

I can't just be there. Just as expeditiously earning a PhD will not come merely by being in the office 10 hours a day, my blossoming socially will come only as I do my level best and take the attendent risks. Coincidentally, I've recently concluded 2 months of speech therapy. Whether or not it comes to fruition or merely fades into distant memory as money imprudently-spent will depend on good habits that have begun to sprout and which much be cultivated lest they die.

I'd appreciate the suggestions from you socialites (of whose ranks I am not yet a member) for ways to be more gregarious and involved in social situations. Thanks!