Introversion - You mean to tell me that I'm really NOT weird?

It was July 4 and I was invited to a friend of a friend's house for an Independence Day barbeque. Normally when I show up at these things, where I don't know anyone except one or 2 people, I wonder who is going to be there and if the people are friendly.

That of course, is utterly stupid because 99 times out of 100, I have a great time, I meet a bunch of great people, and the next time my new convo-buddies and I ensure that the evening is truly shorter than time. That evening, I spoke with a few folks who seemed clique-ish and barely gave me eye contact during our conversation. And of course, there was the quintessential group of young lovelies who showed up in high heels (to a barbeque), sat at a table - in a circle, spoke to only each other, and after dinner, left. I did converse with 2 of the gals briefly but, they didn't seem to have much to say. Maybe a hippo pooed on my shirt. Maybe I had a large booger the size of a small marsupial, hanging out of my nose. Maybe I mistakenly wore my bvds on the outside of my shorts, again. Or maybe they didn't realize that I have a striking resemblance to Brad Pitt. Who knows. But, I didn't smell. After all, it was Wednesday - Bathday.

At the end of it all, I had a fun night, had delectable conversations, and met a lot of great folks. One woman, in particular, opened up about herself, her insecurities, and spoke about her efforts to improve. I know that was tough for her, as evident in her tears. (Ironically, I feel as though those who are honest about their insecurities and work on them, are stronger than those who mask them with meaningless facades, toughness, and other coping mechanisms.) Many of her insecurities, I admitted to also bearing and mentioned that I too, am an introvert. Her look of disbelief was immediately followed by a, "you're not an extrovert." I realized that in today's society, introversion is looked down upon and extroversion is the "desired" quality.

Accompanied by a conversation with a good friend, this article reiterated that introversion is a great thing, and introverts need to protect their energy to preserve their sanity. You know, I think it's a great night to throw back a few beers, do some laundry, and act out "Where the Wild Things Are."

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