Surrounded

I'm at my final vacation stop before returning home for the remainder of my time off. For most of the trip I've been in the company of friends and family pretty much all day long. (My drives from city to city have been solo, obviously.)

This is not a situation I'm usually accustomed to. Evenings and weekends are mostly spent with me, myself, and I. It isn't an ideal way for things to be, but it is what it is. I can keep myself entertained. While I don't need all that time for myself, the truth is that I do need some. I'm more extroverted than I probably felt like I once was--we're going back to high school here--but I'm well aware I also have an introvert's tendencies, as contrary as that may be to what I do for a living.

So it's interesting for me to look at what it's been like to have all this time when I've been surrounded by other people. I've enjoyed the talking the most, which doesn't surprise me. I am aware that if I've not had a chance to carry on any meaningful conversations for awhile that I can be a real motormouth. It is an unfortunate inclination.

Yet, and this may sound strange, I've also enjoyed the silence. Being quiet tends to freak out people. I've been told as much by some because they don't know what I'm thinking. In my view, though, not needing to fill every pause with words indicates (or can indicate) a certain amount of comfort. I think this is especially true with family, but it's also the case with friends.

I've had a good trip. It's dizzying to realize how quickly it's gone and how many miles I've covered. The traveling can be tiring, but the energy I've drawn from those around me has helped offset that weariness.