Photo credit: RJS Photography
It’s an extrovert’s world. No, it is. It’s true. There’s even a book about it. The Introvert Advantage: How to survive in an extrovert’s world, by Marti Olsen Laney. Only about one in four people are introverts, and we’re mostly misunderstood. We’re often believed to be anti-social, shy, and aloof, which isn’t necessarily true. I love people. Well, certain people.
I know that introverts think differently than extroverts do, but I know it in a background sort of way, the same way I know that I live in Arizona and have blonde hair. It’s not on my mind all the time. Sometimes it’s brought sharply into focus for one reason or another.
I like Facebook for my ability to be voyeuristic. Hey, if you’re putting it out there, don’t get mad that I’m reading it. I don’t understand why you’d want the world to know that, but if you do, yeah, I’m going to read it. I like seeing not only what people will put out into a semi-public forum, but also for those insights into other people’s personalities.
One of my friends posted that she was bored, and another one invited her over. Just like that, Friend 1 gave up a day in her home, alone, in pajamas, to go to Friend 2’s house. I saw that and thought, “Huh? Why?”
It’s not that I don’t like my friends. I do. It’s just that I like a day in pajamas, alone, a lot better most of the time. I like making plans and doing things, but I’m not going to agree to leave my house on a whim. I mean, why would I? There are books to read, gardens to play in, dogs to entertain.
I went into a very busy grocery store with my sister in law the other day. If you read this blog with any regularity, you’ll know that the grocery store is about my least favorite place in the world. But this one… this one was worse than any other store I’ve ever been in. For one thing, it was BUSY. Really, really, busy. Plus, they were playing music loudly. There were smells of fish. I was so overstimulated that I wanted to turn around and walk back out. If I lived there, I guarantee that I’d never shop there. I don’t think my sister-in-law (an extrovert) even noticed how loud it was.
So, the moral of the story is this: If you’re one of my friends, no matter how much I love you, I’m not getting out of my pajamas for you. Not unless we already had plans. And even then, I’m probably only getting out of my pajamas because I keep my promises.
You’re welcome.
Doree Weller 