Today's Women of Age

As I’ve gotten older I find myself choosing to spend more time at home, alone. (Or mostly alone as my husband is there sometimes.) I am an introvert by nature so that might be more expected, still I used to go out a lot more when I was younger.

In my middle-aged years I didn’t have the choice to stay home or be alone. There was work four days a week and with two daughters much ferrying to and from school, soccer games and music lessons. There always seemed to be something on the calendar and a lot of driving hither and yon.

But with that all behind me now I’ve realized how much I look forward to days when there is not a blessed thing on my schedule and I don’t have to leave the house if I don’t want to. It feels like a gift. A glorious bow-tied gift.

These days I choose to keep my social calendar on the light side with most of my activities involving people I’m close to–coffee with girlfriends or dinner with my daughters. I am less inclined to attend events that involve small talk or a lot of strangers. It’s not how I want to spend my time or energy.

And I wondered…is this true for most older folks? Do we get to a point where we’ve just don’t crave a lot of outside activity or company? We don’t need the buzz, BS or chaos of the world?

As I started researching the matter I learned at least anecdotally the answer is yes! Choosing solitude and alone time is more common as we age, but the folks who seek it tend to be independent and creative with a rich inner life. They are comfortable in their own skin, content with their lives and do not need the validation of other folks to be happy.

So if you are starting to crave more solitude as you get older you are in good company, so to speak! Embrace it.