Dianna Cates Dunn » Blog

For the past 10 years my personal level of contentment has been at its highest when I am at home. Like wise, for the past 10 years I have worked at home from a small second bedroom that I converted into my studio. My days are spent, like many visual artists, seeking and then coraling my own creative vices. My dog and two cats supply me with many interruptions and diversions to pull me from my easel as does the siren call of my garden. I am fortunate to have my son renting my basement, so I do have momentary contact with a human most days. (Somehow, when I do cook, he always seems to magically appear. Funny that.) But other than his flash appearances, most of my days - even before the coronavirus - were spent with me, myself and I. Happily, I might add.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, my life has not always flowed in this seamling hermit-like pattern. You see, I used to be quite the extrovert. From school, to work, to boards, to social engagements my life was kept buzzing in a most satisfactory way.  I was the counselor, confidant and advisor many sought out. Social gatherings were my thing and I loved being with my friends and my family a lot. Hey, the Meyer Briggs tests I took back then will back me up!

So what changed?

It would be impossible to pin to one event, or even one time period as I think. More likely it's easier to view it as a very long mathematical equation that slowly evolved on my blackboard of life over many, many years. Who knew that doing X would result in Y, so on and so forth? As I matured (a nice way of saying aged) and I became more aware of what I really wanted out of life. And because of that awareness, a natural, normal and unremarkable series of events led me to where I am. Today, I believe is that if I were take the Meyers-Brigg test, I would probably come up as a complete introvert. The perfect candidate to be happy with being told I need to keep to myself to avoid the spread of this rotten and dangerous virus. No sweat, so to speak for me, right?

Wrong.

You see, I am a gregarious loner ! A term I first heard used - if my memory serves me correctly - by Dan Fogelberg when being interviewed on a radio program.  Wisewebwoman.blogspot.com defines the term it in this way:

       "Gregarius, to me, means one who is friendly and fairly social but, on her terms, and nothing to do with noise and small talk of         awful cocktail parties. One who the likes company of her own choosing but abhors the mean, the small, and class structures. But places a lot of importance on solitude in her 'loner' status."

That's me!!! To a T!! I need infusions of human contact just as much as I need my creative solace. I need to hear, to resonate with conscious, thoughtful individuals who speak with care about their truths. I don't need or care about what motivates a mass frenzy, nor do I care to listen to a rehash of any networks news. I want and care about what a tuned-in and thoughtful person thinks of the worlds goings on as it pertains to them. In other words, I want a the pickings from a select few who I value, not the reactionary outpourings of many. My mind, it seems just can't handle that anymore. Does this resonate at all with you during this time of unknown outcomes? Let me know your thoughts and know that if  you are reading this that me, myself, and I value your thoughts. Thanks for reading and breath, ok?