You’re not wrong at all, Stella! When I took the Meyers Briggs and shot it off to a mentor, he panicked. He said he’d never seen some score as high as I have on the Extroversion portion of the test. My best friend, however, is the world’s largest introvert I’ve ever met. He’d rather be alone and by himself most days and is completely happy and doesn’t feel lonely.

Here’s what I discovered in both of us. I need alone time. People think I’m weird, but I’ll go see movies by myself. I even like to go to lunch or dinner by myself and just eat and enjoy thinking. People assume you have no friends and the looks are weird, but I love it. I go to coffee shops by myself to read. I don’t feel lonely in the slightest but more fulfilled.

My best friend, however, needs people as well. He jokes that he can become Smeagol and his alone time becomes his “precious.” Too long not with people and he can spiral into depression. So a lot of times, we’ll force him out of his home to come be with us even though he resists after he’s been isolated a while. It ends up being good for him, and he’s always glad he does.

So all this to say, there is a distinct difference between alone and lonely. However, given that most people don’t share anything meaningful anymore, let alone have people they can confide in, well… no wonder they’re alone. Even the people who are extroverts are experiencing this because their relationships remain superficial.