Life’s full of apparent contradictions.
Connection is one of my core values.
I’m also an introvert.
My close friends cannot reconcile the two. Quite often, neither can I.
I need time to recover from human interactions. The interactions are messy. They usually don’t go according to plan. They require ongoing maintenance for “professional” reasons.
The damage or discontent they cause on a daily basis is often transmuted into other areas of my life, especially with people most dear to me.
Thankfully, the daily commute to & from work allows me some time to put a separation between the two.