Is there a place you can kinda sidle in to without attracting a lot of attention, and EASE your way into a group? On one level or another, we've all been stricken by shyness in our lives. The first time I got up and sang a song, I was terrified. I came to learn that everyone really WASN'T watching my every move. I've seen people who were enormously shy just show up at a concert series I used to run, and for a long time never say a word to anyone. But, through time, people started to engage them in conversation and it time, they became very comfortable in the group. You would never have guessed that they were shy when they first started coming. I think of a person, in particular, who is now involved with running a folk festival and is quite out-going.

Go at you own pace, but push yourself a little, too. There's only one way to overcome shyness... don't accept it, and do something about it, no matter how small that first step might be.

Go for it!

Jerry