Many of us celebrated when Susan Cain's thoughtful treatise, Quiet, made the best-seller list a few years back.  For the first time, the real challenges and gifts of people with an introverted temperament came into everyday conversation.  At last, someone understood us and we didn't feel quite so weird.

Introverts do not dislike people.  They are not necessarily awkward in social settings.  They do need time alone to recharge.  We go to the party, and may have fun, but the next day finds us curled up with a book.  Our work involves teamwork, public speaking, and an open office.  Friday nights are for jammies and old movies at home. I am an introvert.  I am always looking for the white spaces sprinkled through an active life. 

Sometimes, however, the balance tips and I go too far:  I get ahead with chores, catch up on errands, and decline new commitments. At such times, I face not only a single welcome day of solitude, but a longer stretch of time on my own.  Those occasions help me see life from another perspective.  I begin feeling the urge to connect, to be in a crowd, and to have some noise...almost any noise...breaking up the silence.  It happened again last week,

It would have been easy to call a friend for coffee or to join a group for a run.  However, by the time I noticed, my batteries were too low.  As I discovered with our car several months back, a battery can discharge past the point of "jumping."  Like starting a car, social initiative takes energy and I was out of it.  Fortunately, time was prepared to heal:  after a few blank days, a generous array of holiday activities appeared on the calendar.

While watching the energy ebb and flow, I realized the importance of people power in a quiet life.  When others share their joy with me, I respond in kind.  The exchange of thoughts and feelings, laughter and fun get the juices flowing again.  Yes, I may be an introvert, but not all the time.  As with my car, I have learned a lesson about personal batteries.  Next time I will remember to pull out the jumper cables and connect with others before it is too late.

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How do you balance the energy of together and alone?  How have you recharged by tapping into the energy of others who are willing to share?