I am not lonely and am selectively social. As per the latter, I carefully choose my company and can only stand being with others for a limited about of time.

I am not a misanthrope. I don't hate everybody. Nor am I lonely.

I am independent. I am not living life defensively.

I discovered I am who I am after sophomore year in college. I preferred a single room instead of sharing space with even people I liked well enough.

I am in my early 60s and still get taunted for not being married as if I need someone to validate my existence. I don't care.

except I figured it out at a young age.

listening to the birds. Though it is very nice when people show an interest - come over to ask questions, etc - I get frustrated because people don't really know how to listen - some people have had the same conversation with me, asked me the same questions for years.

I get my dose of social when I go out to give talks at botanical gardens and master gardener programs - then I am totally spent (and my Myers Briggs says ENFP - age has honed that E toward an I).

But I am lucky - after my gardening, I spend time with my wife - my soul mate - and if or when something happens to her and if I am the one left behind, I suspect I will be even more of a hermit.

It is especially tough lately - I am 62 - and it all just seems to loud and noisy out there.

I'm a homebody and a loner and don't apologize for any of it. I really like things this way. I socialize but only for short bursts and those are exhausting to me. I like people but I just can't be around them all day long

Since my husband died, I am on my own for the first time in my life. It is an incredible experience. No one to check with. Eat what I want. Go to movies I want to see. Binge-watch Netflix. Travel on the spur of the moment. Spend what I want.

I don’t really like people. My husband was one of the few people I liked. Never boring. Most people are boring. I also like my siblings, who have similar interests and political beliefs, so that helps.

I don’t know if I would have felt the same 30 years ago without Facebook or DU. These keep me connected.

I felt truly at ease with was my husband. Now that he is gone, I am happiest with my two dogs and two cats. For the first time in my life, I am able to enjoy true solitude. Each day is a treasure. I spent most of my working life around people that were ok but tiresome. People create too much drama and drama creates too many problems. Now I have serenity. I have my garden, my pond, my pets, my quietness. Along with my books and some coffee, I am a happy hermit. Thankfully, I have two lovely sisters who give me enough of their time to keep me from being a total recluse, oh, and DU.

No compromise, I like to make and change the schedule, if I need to.
And I do constantly make changes, arrangements, appointments and reschedules often.
My pets are great company; they make few requests.
I have experienced people burn out after decades of customer service and squabbling dramas.
I love the sound of silence and nature.

unbearable) I sit by trees and listen to birds and insects.
But I still find myself yearning for human company.
But there are few people (I have found a couple) who would enjoy being in nature and not talking!

I blame Disney lol.