I recently took a poll asking my Facebook friends if they would guess me to be an introvert or an extrovert. The answers were entertaining, to say the least. As I was posting the poll I told one of my bestfriends to mark my words that those who say "extrovert" are the people who have not been active in my life for quite some time (no offense) and those who say "introvert" are those who know me best. The truth is, I used to be much more extroverted. However, over the course of the past few years, I have become a hopeless introvert. Most people assume me to be an extrovert because they don't understand that being outgoing doesn't automatically make you extroverted. It isn't as much about your actions as it is about where you find your energy. My bestfriend is extroverted. If she doesn't get enough interaction with people, she becomes discouraged. On the other hand, if I get to much interaction with people, I become discouraged. She finds her energy in people, whereas I find my energy in solitude (however, that doesn't mean that I never crave social interaction).
I have changed a lot over the past few years. In my opinion, these have all been wonderful, much-needed changes. I have learned who I am, as well as who I want to be. I am settled, if you will. I don't desire a thousand close friends, infact the very idea exhausts me. I praise the Lord for the people close to me. I praise the Lord for the people in my life who love me through thick and thin and stay by my side no matter what. The Lord has taught me the wisdom in a quiet, simple and private life. Obviously, there is a great need for community and I praise the Lord for that! It keeps people like me from becoming TO private. :) However, there is wisdom is having a close group of people to share the most inner parts of your soul with. This allows for very close relationships, as opposed to a thousand surface friendships. I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Thus, my life as an introvert. Happy, content and thankful.
"I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude. We are for the most part more lonely when we go abroad among men than when we stay in our chambers." [Henry David Thoreau]
