Extroverts and Introverts

At breakfast at Supper, Kate and Charlotte and I were talking about the differences between the two.  An extrovert--like Kate--is energized by parties and people, though she does like her solitary time.  Charlotte and I are both card-carrying introverts, though we enjoy people, too, just not too many at one time.

If I hear the word, party, I shrink with dread--as all card-carrying introverts probably do.  I know--from 71 years of experience-- that my mode a la party is to find one or two people to talk to.  But when the entire group is gathered around a table or seated in a conversational circle, I'm likely not to contribute a single conversational gem or joke.

I like gatherings--like writing group--in which there's something to do besides talking.  I feel I can pretty much hold my own if we're talking about what we're writing, but when the conversation slides to other topics, I'm perfectly happy listening.

In my family, Carlene and Will are  extroverts, the life-of-the-party variety.  They can jump right in in any crowd and tell funny stories and make conversation with twenty people at once.  Elena is an extrovert.  When she found out that other kids got to school half an hour earlier than she did, she insisted on getting up early so as not to miss a single potential new friend.

To the prospect of trying to be a party girl of that sort, Charlotte said, "Just give me a stick in the eye!"  I feel exactly the same.

A guest list of four or five people who know each other well--that's a whole other kettle of fish, small enough not to be scary.

I always wanted to be one of those life-of-the-party types.  Extroversion seems favored over introversion in our culture.  But at some point, it's futile to try to be anyone but who we are, some innies, some  outies, and some able to flex comfortably back and forth.