Thursday, October 21, 2004

Biscuit of the Day - In Celebration of Introversion

I had to attend an office party last night and something really hit me. Being an introvert in the land of America is like being a lefty in the world of right handed people.

Since introversion is somewhat maligned by general society, let me say this first. I don't hate people. I enjoy people and people watching and I find their exploits and desires fascinating. I enjoy small groups of people which I intimately know. Introverts don't hate people, we just enjoy people on a much lighter dosage than extroverts do

I always marvel at my extrovert boyfriend and how at ease he is with strangers and being in a large group. He has that magic touch with people that would be called a "green thumb" if he tended plants. I am always amazed at such abilities because it's something that I am not strong at. I can enjoy crowds for a little while, but soon it almost becomes agonizingly overwhelming and I do a quick retreat like a hermit crab into a more intimate place.

But I also remember my abilities. I do not get terrorized when I am alone, as some extroverts I knew in school did, and who ended up with a syndrome of staying in bad relationships so they wouldn't be alone. I enjoy solitude and being able to think deeply on my own and think and work independently without a group. I enjoy my obsession with needing to know everything about a subject that can be known. I am comfortable in my own skin.

At times, I try to ape the outgoing extrovert when it is appropriate or when business requires. But pulling off that false persona at the end of the day has the same relief of pulling off a pair of heels after a long marathon of walking. It always feels good to be back in my own skin. I always wonder when I sit and peoplewatch, who else is doing the same thing? What life would be like and what would I see if society didn't require us to wear masks and conceal our true selves when we were in public.

Since this is a literary as well as personal blog, I'm going to finish this article with a quote:

Quiet people are often found to have profound insights.
The shallow water in a brook or river runs fast:
The deep water seems calmer.
~James Rogers

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