Introduction
No Thanks, I Don't Want a Walking Partner
Hermit Loner Comes Out
We Say ... They Hear
My Solution to Noise Pollution
Don't Pounce on Me
Setting Boundaries
The Territorial Thing
Good Things
The Irony of It All
A Planned Community -- for Introverts!!
Good Things
My partner read my latest article last night, “The Territorial Thing”, and said: “Wow, people who read this are going to think you are a really bitter person.” Ouch. I am pretty sure that my fellow innies will understand where I'm coming from, but her comment made me think that perhaps I need to write something with a more positive slant. So here goes.
There are many many things to appreciate and enjoy when you're introverted.
Because we aren't busy talking and rushing around all the time, we see and hear and feel things that our extroverted friends miss out on. For instance, out for a walk the other day, I became aware of just how GOOD the gentle breeze felt. It was a warm, sunny day – I had become a little warm, so I stopped for a moment, looked up at the brilliant blue sky, and just enjoyed the sensation of that soft breeze for a few minutes. Isn't it wonderful to be able to notice and enjoy things like that?
Sitting outside in the back yard after work, I love to just listen. There are so many pleasant sounds to attend to, in nature. It is amazing how many different bird calls and songs you can hear, if you just sit still and pay attention. It's really miraculous. The peeping of finches, the mews of catbirds, the honks of nuthatches, the screeches of blue jays, the twitters of wrens, the drumming of woodpeckers, the burbles of robins – to name only a few. Add to that the gentle rustling and sighing of trees in the wind, and who could ask for more? Why muddy that up with conversation? Our talkative friends miss out on so much!
There are so many wonderful things to see, too, if you are looking. Bumblebees crawling around on the spirea bush. The occasional butterfly. Squirrels chasing each other around a tree. All the different plants and trees, with their different shapes and colors. Clouds in the sky. On a solitary walk once, on a local nature trail, I came across a nest of brand new baby turkeys. Had I been in company, I'd have never noticed them. It was truly magical to see those darling little creatures – I felt blessed. That was a couple of years ago, and I still think about it with awe.
Sometimes, after an hour or two in nature, I am filled with such an overwhelming sense of gratitude and well being that I just want to throw up my arms and thank someone. I'm not even sure if I believe in God or not, but the closest I ever come to being sure of His or Her existence is when I've spent some solitary time enjoying the natural world.
Then there is that wonderful feeling that surges up on the rare occasions when I am completely alone. The other night, my partner and her mother left to go to the grocery store. The friendly neighbor and her husband weren't home. I stepped outside and I felt my soul just expand, gratefully filling the empty space. It was like taking off a pair of pants that are a bit too tight. The feeling of pleasure and relief, to know that I had a couple of hours to truly be alone, to know that I could be outside with my dogs and really relax, knowing that no one would be watching me, or pouncing on me to chatter. I feel fortunate to be able to savor being alone. Being introverted is a gift, one that I am grateful for!
I'd love your feedback. What do you love about being an introvert? Email me! Hermit.loner@yahoo.com
