So you think you’re an introvert

For someone with four kids, the state of being in solitude is unusual.

But I’m in my element. For as long as I can remember myself, I liked being on my own. Even when I felt lonely and deprived of social life, of a romantic (and not just romantic!) relationship — in my adolescent years — I still found profound comfort in being on my own. I still do.

I don’t know if it’s common for introverts to build large families but that’s what I did. From being the only child, from being a lonely teenager, to marrying young and having four kids. Well, we had two kids and then we had twins!

I remember well the summer when I met my girlfriend, now my wife of over twenty years. Our relationship developed fast. I’ll spare the details but it was fast… We were spending days and nights together just days after we met. I remember thinking: well, this is strange being with someone always, every day, every moment. There was a moment or two when it felt overwhelming. I wouldn’t describe it as a negative experience (because we were so in love!) but I remember feeling the weight of being with someone non-stop.

Part of my family is now in Europe for a few weeks. My wife and the twins are traveling outside of the US for the first time in many years. My daughter plays tennis. The trip to Europe is mostly because of her tennis. Then I have my other son in Florida with my Mom and my stepfather. And I’m with my son (Max) in California. He has one more year of high school so I spend a lot of time with him…