"I have never found a companion that was so companionable as solitude"
(Henry David Thoreau)
I like to do things by myself. I always have. This doesn't mean I'm sad and lonely (probably), and it doesn't mean that I hate people (well...), but I just like having by-myself time. This is especially true on the weekends. I've gotten into the habit of occupying my Saturdays with a bus ride to some place where I would walk around and explore. I told someone about one of these Saturdays recently, and the person got offended (or maybe fake offended--I don't know her well enough to determine if she has a sense of humor) that I didn't invite her to come with me! So now I feel like I must explain myself (maybe) with three points:
- I like to do things when I want to do them. When I was faced with the response, "you should have invited me!" I wanted to say, "did you want to leave at 6:45 in the morning?" Because I did. And I didn't want to waste my morning waiting around for people who know how to sleep in to wake up and decide that they're ready to do stuff.
- Related somewhat to point number one, I like doing things by myself without the stress of someone's wants and needs affecting my decision-making. If I want to walk around a town square six times before deciding which restaurant will be providing my lunch that day (like I have), I don't want to worry about another person getting hungry and impatient.
- In my life, there have been very few people with whom I could comfortably spend a whole day. In fact, I can only immediately think of two, maybe three. I've never been a "people person." Conversing with people does not come easily to me, and I very much dislike feeling like I have to have a conversation when I would be perfectly at ease sitting silently with my thoughts.
So, to all future people I with whom I don't hang out, it's nothing personal, and I don't necessarily dislike you; you just don't happen to be one of the three people I find more "companionable" than myself.
Didn't know you're a blogger. I think blogging would be a good habit because it helped us organize our thoughts and recollect things that we have learned and insights that we have gained.
ReplyDeleteIn lots of ways we're similar to each other. I used to enjoy get alone with myself but now as I'm aging and growing older, I find it harder and harder to be by myself all the time...
Not even mention to stay motivated all the time.
Entering into auto-pilot mode now...
we can go to the temple together though, i can promise to wake up early for temple, that is probably the only thing that can keep me motivated... :D keep in touch!
Anita