Being Alone Does Not Equal Loneliness

I could be a hermit.

Well, maybe not; I think the term for a female is hermitess.

Yes, I could be one of those.

The dictionary defines a hermit as one who is a loner who embraces solitude and lives in isolation. This describes me.

I totally enjoy my own company and have no problem with being alone or being left alone to do my own thing. I am happy being by myself. Did I ever tell you I once lived in the mountains in a tent?

Side note: Another definition is a molasses cookie, packed with raisins or nuts. Perhaps someday I’ll address that “nuts” part in another post.

I struggle with social interaction constantly and could very well enjoy life off the grid, not because of finances or any fear that society is unpredictable, but because I know how good the solitude feels. Having said that, I have embraced several activities that force me to be an extrovert and sometimes it takes everything in me to ‘people’ in that moment because these activities say I must. Once in a while I have to remind myself and to gently warn others that I need to distance myself for a minute or two (or an hour, or a day). Some worry about me, but please know I’m okay, I’m just needing some space to breathe.

You can safely assume that I’ll wade back into the fray when I have caught my breath and centered again.