Introverted Life

So I was here in the kitchen, just puttering around by myself, cooking supper and listening to my ipod on shuffle, and I realized how content I am in this moment in time.
I had another moment like that recently, a moment when I am just living my life and I check myself and without noticing I have become completely content. The last time was when I was sitting in front of the fireplace on a visit home this past weekend, reading a delightful novel and drinking some tea.
I have these moments, it seems, when I am alone.

I am most content when I am alone. Not lonely, but alone. I suppose that makes me an introvert. I happily would put on that label. It's not that I don't love people. I also love moments when I am with people.

There are always sayings like "You'll never look back fondly on a night you stayed in and went to bed early."
For a while, I believed this, and I did not take very much time for myself. This was a bad idea.

Here are some facts about introverts that all you non-introverts may want to know:

• We (well, at least me) take a long time to make friends. If you met us eight months ago and you are just starting to get to know us, it's not because we don't like you. We most likely do like you. This is a reasonable timeline for us
• If you think it is an awkward silence, we may not think it is an awkward silence. We're OK with some breaks in the conversation

• A night in, reading or watching a movie on our couch is more attractive to us than, for example, a party where we only know a couple of people

• We do love you! It just makes us tired to spend a long long time with you :) That's just how we are, and it has nothing to do with you :)

Thank you for reading these introvert facts. Life is better when we understand one another!