I’d Love to go to the Party, but I’m Absolutely Dead

To celebrate a new page in life, and a new job, I recently bought myself this great piece. I first saw The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss collection about ten years ago and immediately loved it. At the time I couldn’t afford anything and since then I have tried a few times to find this one in particular but never could. (There are a limited number of them)

Something about this sings to me – and my introverted nature. Being introverted is sometimes difficult in this world, and in my job, but it’s not really something you can change, and I’m learning to appreciate this quality in myself. When I was growing up, with a very extroverted mother and two very extroverted sisters, I felt like I was different and it was often pointed out to me that these differences were negative.   Introversion is often misunderstood – it doesn’t mean shy. People who know me well laugh at the idea that I’m an introvert, so I need to explain here that it doesn’t mean not obnoxious or quiet either.

It means that I prefer to be around people that I know, and that it takes me awhile to get to know people.  As I just started a new job, I am feeling the weight of this a lot lately, when I read a book at lunch or sit in meetings with no one to glance at and secretly roll our eyes when someone says something crazy.  It can be lonely, but it won’t be forever, and when I get more comfortable it will be even easier to be there.

The other thing being introverted means to me is that I need to be alone sometimes. I have friends that get their energy from being around a lot of people, but I am not like this. When I am exhausted, I crave solitude, I crave a bathtub and a book.  Not for long, sometimes just for an hour, and then I can reenter the world again, but trying to explain to an extrovert that you need an hour away from them  is not that easy.

I love this piece.  I hung it directly over my bed, replacing the print of the dancers that J loved, and it makes me happy when I crawl into bed at night.  It makes me feel less different, it makes me feel okay about myself.