I think that, as an introvert, part of the reason I need so much time alone is paradoxically because people are so important to me.  I need time  to process them and our interactions thoroughly. Last week I had an unusually active and people-filled week, and I was so exhausted by the end that Saturday I just crashed. I stayed home by myself all day.  Sunday I spent the day alone, too, but I actually made it out of the house to the library to do some work. But before I started my work, I typed out a journal entry of all the people I had seen last week. I wrote a seperate paragraph about each person and what he or she means to me.  Then, finally, the buzzing stopped, because I had fully realized my time with each person by thinking and writing about it.

Moving from one social interaction to another is like eating meal after meal without giving myself time to digest. I love people, and I couldn’t live without them, but once I’ve had my fill I need to process for a while before I’m ready for more.

More soon, still recharging…