Saturday, April 13, 2013

My Hermit Life

A friend of mine posted about throwing some type of social gathering and it got me thinking...  I haven't actually invited anyone over for anything but a cup of coffee (which my former neighbor and I always drank outside while we smoked) in ages. 

Looking back, I can see that over the years, my hermit tendencies have slowly crept over me like kuzdu. 

And I'm okay with that.

Oh, I have no problem going out into the world and socializing with other people - should the need ever arise.  And I have no problem reaching out to people here on the internet.  "Come in and know me better, man," is what I say.  Here.  Not out there.  Out there, I'm a happy hermit.

Of course, moving out to the middle of nowhere in southern Missouri nudged that along quite nicely. 

Except for people keep stopping in the road while I'm outside, introducing themselves and carrying on conversations.  I do my best.  I really do.  The elderly couple who pulled into the driveway and chatted with my husband and I for a good 20 minutes were very nice.  But the gal who stopped while I was taking a short walk yesterday made me want to pull back into my snail shell.  Kinda snobby and uppity for someone who lives in this neighborhood, if you ask me.

Anyway, I am a happy hermit.  All y'all keep me properly socialized in what is probably my most public arena.  Otherwise, I'm in my hole, writing and reading and bird-watching - which are solitary pursuits anyway.

What about you?  How social are you in real life?  Does the hermit life appeal to you or do you need other humans around to be happy*?

* no value judgments there - we all do what makes us happy in our own way.

9 comments:

  1. Unlike you, my hermit tendencies center around my home. I'm fine visiting with people outside my home. Parties, walks, chatting with people at the store--that's all good.

    But I like my privacy. Once I enter my gate, I prefer to be left alone.

    My neighbors are slowly figuring this out. I had one call last week when she wanted to pop over, but I was swamped with deadlines and I told her no. You'd have thought I stabbed her in the heart by her reaction. She simply did not understand the concept of working from home.

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  2. Yeah, the parties thing isn't my bag. I do love chatting with people at the store or on the street when we're in town. I'm like you with your gate, though, Maria. Once I'm on my property, I kinda want to be left alone.

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  3. Having people come over isn't a problem for me - I not only live in the middle of nowhere, but our dead-end road and my driveway are impassable due to snow and mud so we have to walk or 4-wheeler home up a huge hill ourselves!

    But no, I'm not social. I work full-time and have colleagues and my husband and I have couple friends, but that's about it. Just last night I had free tickets to a wine tasting and had the hardest time finding anyone to go with me! It was a little embarrassing, really.
    erica

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  4. Sounds awesome, Erica. Well, except for the inability to get out easily when you need to. I would've gone to a wine tasting with you. I could've been the designated driver! =o)

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  5. I'm not very social either, but the husband's family is. They are always at so and so's house doing whatever. Thankfully, the husband is not like that lol. I prefer to be at home, reading, writing, or watching movies. We also like to bring Powell for walks =)

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  6. I tend to hermit tendencies too. I find social niceties to be draining. That said, we usually have people over for a meal twice a month or so....

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  7. I definitely have hermit tendencies, but also love meeting up with people. I think I'm happy as long as I manage to get quite a bit of hermit time throughout the week.

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  8. Another hermit reporting in. :-)

    I come from a family with hermit tendencies. My poor nephew invited us to his 2 year old's birthday party, and we all bowed out. (It didn't help that he forgot to hand out the invitations until six hours before the party.) He just can't understand why we weren't anxious to drop everything and dash to the party.

    Um, NO thank you. :-)

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  9. I would LOVE to have hermit tendencies...well, actually, I guess I do, if you don't count the five teenagers living in my house. I avoid having "real" adults in at all costs. But that's more about the fact that I have five teenagers, two dogs and very little inclination to clean house, more than a social thing.
    Though, I suppose, if I were more willing to host people, I would probably clean my house...
    I just hate having to do anything that takes me away from writing!

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