I am not an introvert.
I am not a hermit.
And yet...I DESPERATELY NEED TIME ALONE!!!
I realized that this week more than ever as our house is overflowing with company. This has made me cherish the tiny opportunities I have each day to be silent and be still. At three separate intervals I found a few spare minutes of time to be alone and I treasured them for all they were worth!
This morning I was awake before the majority of the household and I was able to get ready in silence and have a few minutes to collect my thoughts.
This afternoon I took two siblings and four cousins to the park. At one point I delegated the overseeing to the next oldest, leaving her in charge of the children on the playground. I spent a few minutes with my camera in hand and just enjoyed the creation around me. It's amazing how differently you see things when you take the time to look for the beauty.
And this evening I took five minutes longer in the shower than I needed just to have a couple more minutes of silence!
Mmmm...I hear you on that craving for solitude! I read somewhere that the definition of an introvert is how one is energized. An introvert can love people and enjoy a social event immensely, but to be energized again, the introvert must find time alone.
ReplyDeleteLikewise, an extrovert might not mind time alone, but to be energized, the extrovert needs to find people-time.
I liked that, because some people think that introvert = people-avoider with bad social skills, and the definition I found felt truer to who I am (a people-lover who is socially competent and yet needs time alone to rejuvenate).