Blessed are the Introverts
Dvarapala (Door Guard) by Rithika Merchant
I used to consider myself a super mega extrovert. Always the first to show up at a party, the loudest and brightest one in the room, and the last to leave. I didn’t consider myself a success unless I had spoken to at least 80% of the people there and cracked at least 3-5 dad jokes or a good pun at the very least.
I think this is why I became a minister; I love a microphone, I love being the center of attention, and I love anything spiritual. So ministry felt like a great mix of all three.
Something changed during the pandemic though, and I’ve heard lots of people talk about it. I just don’t go out the way I used to. In fact, I almost consider myself an introvert. Gasp! Nevertheless, it’s true.
I spend days happily by myself, punctuated by a few hours of intimate conversation with close friends. I have a 78 minute limit on most social gatherings larger than four people, unless of course we’re having some kind of spiritual service. Then I can go for hours, days!
But mostly I spend my time in prayer, writing, talking to Spirit, reading theological fiction (Circe, anyone?), and walking around Sloan’s lake in Denver. Alone, only making eye contact with the geese. In fact, my current introversion is part of the reason I’m offering my Wintering course this year. It’s just been so delicious to be in a deep nurturing winter of the soul these past few years and I want to share what I’ve learned.
The Christian season of Advent is where I like to do my introvert wintering, conveniently. Advent is a waiting for something to arrive, something that isn’t here yet. It’s the beginning of the Christian liturgical calendar as well as the Pagan calendar, in a sense. Winter as the beginning of things; what a perfect way to do it, as any introvert will tell you.
Prepare for the arrival of someone special by clearing house, resting, connecting with the Great Silence of God, and setting an altar for in expectation of miracles. (That’s a one sentence description of my course, btw, which you can read much more about below).
To that end, I want to offer this blessing for introverts like me and of course encourage you to join me for the course and annual advent calendar sale. I can’t wait to see you there, dear introvert friend.
Blessed are the Introverts
Blessed are the introverts
Blessed are the wallflowers and quiet ones
Blessed are the ones who leave parties early
Blessed are they for whom silence is a balm and alone time a vital nutrient
Blessed are the ones for whom small talk is like sandpaper
Blessed are they who work behind the scenes and avoid the spotlight like the plague
Blessed are they who say very little but feel so very much
Blessed are the ones who long to stay out all night but whose batteries run out completely by 9pm
Blessed are the ones who hide during parties, longing to be part of the group while recharging in the silence of a spare bedroom
Blessed are the shy ones, the nervous ones, the anxious ones who need their own company to feel better
Blessed are those labelled cold, or aloof, or antisocial
Blessed are they for whom mixers are torture
Blessed are the ones who read books in silence
Blessed are they who are slow to speak and are often passed over in conversation
Blessed are the wintering ones, the waiting ones, the quiet ones
Blessed are the introverts
