I had my birthday yesterday, and I spent it mostly by myself.

I loved it.

See, in the language of the Myers Briggs, I am an introvert. I am certainly not what you first think of as an “introvert” – I don’t think anyone who knows me would call me shy or reserved – but I am definitely someone who gains energy from “alone time.” I love to have opportunities for reflection and introspection. I enjoy spending time reading, writing, and thinking. As I call it, I live “in my head” a lot.

When I spend time alone, I am not lonely. I am especially energized by hours spent on my own after any week when I have been in a lot of meetings with a lot of other people. I do enjoy being with others, but I have come to understand that I prefer to be with just one or two other people at a time. (My dinner on Friday evening with just my friend Lauren was great!) Rather than calling hundreds of people “friends,” I prefer to have a few friendships that are deep. I can look back on my life and see that my relationships have always been this way: I want to really understand the other person. My former roommates, office mates, and bosses can probably attest to this characteristic.

So after having a day when I did the laundry, read Back Channel by Stephen L. Carter, and watched a lot of college football, I can say my birthday was fabulous. Now you know why.