There are different forms of introvert. Some of us prefer being always alone. Some can act the role of extrovert when in public, and revert to the comfort of introversion when we get home.

I fall into the second category as needed.

I’m not certain there was an actual moment or event that drove me to find solace as an introvert. I’ve always enjoyed my thoughts when I’m not dealing with the intrusions or interruptions dumped on me by other people.

So perhaps the longer I needed to extrovert with strangers, the more introverted I became in response to them. And I know I feel exhausted by their “I have to use your time and take up as much space in your mind as possible” behaviors.

I did run a business, had a brick and mortar store, and now I’m feeling tired thinking about what that experience has been like. Maybe I really accepted that I was happier as an introvert just before the store was closed and we moved the business online. Yes. That realization just gave a mental and physical smile.

We were book sellers. There seemed to be a local need for a used bookstore. An introverts love of books played into the idea. I mean how could we go wrong when we’d be dealing with other book lovers? I seriously believed that.

We sold paperback books for $2.00 each. Nice quality, of course. Turns out that we had an older couple who worked as a team. One distracted me while the other went through our books, slipping the ones she thought they could resell into a large purse.

They seemed quite friendly and genuine. They visited a couple times per week. Occasionally purchased a single book. In the end, we had more books stolen than we sold.

Um, yeah, people such as them fed the introvert in me until we were forced to close store.

That’s not to say we didn’t deal with the same sleazy peeps online. We did, but at least I did not find it necessary to put on the extrovert act every day in an attempt to please them.

Everyone has their own agenda. Mine is peace of mind and a quiet evening with a good book.